挪威议会周二批准了一项价值20亿美元的远程火炮采购计划，旨在增强这个北约成员国在北极地区对俄罗斯的威慑力。挪威和俄罗斯在北极地区接壤。
在美国总统特朗普政府的压力下，欧洲各国正加紧增加国防开支，同时俄罗斯入侵乌克兰也令各国感到不安。
反对党保守党的国防政策发言人彼得·弗罗利希周二在议会表示，“这些武器射程很远，直达敌人后方……这在现代战争中至关重要。”
挪威《晚邮报》1月24日援引匿名消息人士的话报道称，挪威政府已选择韩国国防承包商韩华航空航天公司的“天武”火炮系统，而非美国洛克希德·马丁公司的“海马斯”系统。
挪威议会部分议员表示，挪威应该协助开发欧洲导弹替代方案，但负责遴选的政府官员认为此举耗时耗力，因此予以驳回。
据《晚邮报》报道，韩国的导弹系统满足了挪威对陆基火炮的所有要求，包括射程达500公里（310英里），并且交付速度最快。
挪威国防部预计很快将宣布中标方，但尚未对此置评。
挪威国防部表示，计划采购16套发射系统以及数量不详的导弹，总成本为195亿挪威克朗（约合20亿美元）。
韩华航天公司去年与波兰国防公司WB Electronics签署协议，成立一家合资企业，在波兰生产导弹，其中包括为“天武”火箭炮生产的导弹，从而确保在欧洲本土进行制造。
Norway’s parliament on Tuesday approved a $2 billion procurement plan for long-range artillery to boost the NATO country’s deterrence against Russia in the Arctic, where the two nations share a border.
European countries are in the midst of hiking defence spending, under pressure to do so by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump and unnerved by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“These are weapons that can reach far behind enemy lines… this is decisive in modern warfare,” Peter Froelich, the defence policy spokesperson for the opposition Conservatives, told parliament on Tuesday.
Norwegian daily Aftenposten, citing anonymous sources, on January 24 reported that the government has selected South Korean defence contractor Hanwha Aerospace’s (012450.KS), opens new tab Chunmoo artillery system, beating U.S. Lockheed Martin’s (LMT.N), opens new tab HIMARS.
Some members of Norway’s parliament have said the Nordic country should help develop a European missile alternative, but this has been dismissed as too time-consuming and costly by government officials charged with making the selection.
The South Korean system met all requirements set by Norway for the ground-based artillery, including the ability to fire at a range of up to 500 km (310 miles), and had the quickest delivery time, according to the Aftenposten report.
Norway’s defence ministry, which is expected to soon announce the contract winner, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The ministry has said it plans to acquire 16 launch systems along with an undisclosed number of rockets for a total cost of 19.5 billion crowns ($2.0 billion).
Hanwha Aerospace last year signed an agreement with Polish defence company WB Electronics to form a joint venture producing missiles in Poland, including for the Chunmoo rocket artillery, ensuring manufacturing on European soil.