On August 9, 2024, the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) authorized the sale of 16 M142 HIMARSs to Norway, along with associated support, at a total cost of $580 million, equivalent to approximately €530 million.
At first glance, this announcement might seem like another example of the escalating costs of weapons globally. With an average cost of $36 million per unit, including support, the Americans appear ready to sell each M142 HIMARS to Norway at a significant price. However, it’s crucial to note that South Korea had already shown interest in supplying Norway with its own version of the HIMARS, the K239 system, as early as June 2024.
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According to reports from specialized sources, South Korean Hanwha Aerospace defense company announced at the Eurosatory defense exhibition that it was in active negotiations with the Norwegian government. Hanwha emphasized the speed of delivery as a key advantage, suggesting they could potentially deliver the K239 systems to customers by 2030 in batches of 12 to 16 units.
Additionally, the deal could involve Norway and Sweden, offering a package for both Scandinavian countries. The Norwegian government is expected to make a decision on purchasing these missile systems by late 2024 or early 2025.
This situation highlights that the speed of reaching agreements, obtaining necessary delivery permits, and the pace of manufacturing and delivering weapons may be more critical than the cost of the purchase itself.
It’s possible that Norway has already leaned towards the South Korean K239 system, even if no official decision has been announced yet. This theory is supported by reports from October 2022, indicating that Norway and South Korea began work on adapting the NSM anti-ship missile for the K239 system. However, there have been no further updates on the development of this project since then.
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