Norway to buy 54 upgraded Leopard 2A8 NOR tanks worth almost $2 billion with EuroTrophy active protection and ICS/CORTEX communication system

Norway will join the Czech Republic and Germany and will also purchase upgraded Leopard 2A8 NOR tanks. Deliveries will start in a few years.

Here's What We Know

The Norwegian version of the main battle tank will not differ much from the conventional Leopard 2A8 for the German armed forces. The Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (NDMA) and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) have agreed specifications for the fighting vehicle after the contract was signed in the first quarter of 2023.

The Leopard 2A8 NOR will receive the EuroTrophy active protection system. The Leopard 2A8 NOR will be equipped with the integrated ICS/CORTEX system developed by the Norwegian company Kongsberg. It is designed to communicate and exchange data with other combat vehicles.

The Leopard 2A8 NOR will also have an upgraded protection system as required by the Norwegian authorities. The tank will have modular armour. This will allow damaged or obsolete armour units to be easily and quickly replaced. The fighting vehicle will also have a Norwegian-made mine protection kit.

The deal amounted to $1.9 billion. The agreement includes an option to buy 18 more tanks. Deliveries of Leopard 2A8 NOR combat vehicles will commence in 2026 and continue over a five-year period.

Source: Army Recognition