Norway's Kongsberg signs 8-year defense technology development deal with Qatar

Mar 14, 2018 7:31 PMPublished Mar 14, 2018 7:31 PM

Updated Mar 15, 2018 8:16 PM

Norway's Kongsberg has signed agreements with Qatar for long-term defense, maritime industry and digital technology development programs

Norway's Kongsberg has signed agreements with Qatar for long-term defense, maritime industry and digital technology development programs, the company said in a press release.

Kongsberg has established a new joint venture – BK Systems – with Qatar's Barzan Holdings, the Tuesday, March 13 release said.

The first program under the deal is the supply of turrets, remote weapons stations and communication systems for armored vehicles which could be worth up to 15 billion Norwegian kroner ($1.9 billion) over the next eight years – Kongsberg's largest-ever single contract.

A Nexter VBCI 2 fitted with Kongsberg’s medium-calibre turret and Protector remote weapon system at the DIMDEX exhibition in Doha, Qatar. Image: Kongsberg

Kongsberg will supply its Medium-Caliber Turret and Protector Remote Weapon Station for 490 VCBI 8x8 armored infantry fighting vehicles made by France's Nexter. Qatar signed a Memorandum of Intent with Nexter in December.