This purchase came after a debate about whether Norway needed new tanks because of the impact technology has had on the modern battlefield. Especially after the start of Russia's war in Ukraine in February 2022.
The program for new tanks is worth 19.7 Norwegian Crowns ($1.93 billion). Norway’s Defense Minister Bjørn Arild Gram said the weapons would arrive in 2026, with the option to procure 18 more.
Norway was deciding between the Leopard 2 and South Korean K2 Black Panther, both having advantages and drawbacks. After careful consideration, they selected German-made Leopard 2A7 as its next main battle tank following an evaluation process. This purchase should serve to upgrade the defensive capabilities of Norway, who shares a border with Russia.
The manufacturing of new tanks, including Leopards, has come into sharp focus recently, as European nations have pledged old stocks and slivers of their active arsenals to help Ukraine.
Nicholas Drummond, a strategic advisor to KMW in the U.K., told Defense News that the company’s production capacity in Germany still has plenty of slack. “Norway is the first of several new expected orders for new-build Leopard 2A7 tanks,” he said. “Previously, at the height of the Cold War, KWM was able to produce 16 tanks a month, today it is producing much less than that, but it still has the same amount of floor space.”
Source: Defence News