BELFAST — Norwegian manufacturer Kongsberg has reported a first quarter order intake of 27 billion NOK ($2.9 billion), increasing sales over the same period last year by more than 100 percent, all the while the company is setting its sights on US growth.
The order uplift was largely a result of securing deals for counter-drone technologies and weapon systems, including a 16 billion NOK contract struck with Poland in January for the supply of 18 counter-drone batteries, in support of Warsaw’s anti-drone program.
In a statement on Wednesday announcing the new financial results, Kongsberg said that it is “seeing increased interest in counter-drone solutions as a result of ongoing conflicts, such as in Ukraine and the Middle East.”
Across this past quarter, other key contracts included the firm’s joint selection along with Salt Ship Design to deliver a design concept for standardized vessels to the Royal Norwegian Navy.
In February, Germany and Sweden placed a €140 million order with Patria, for remote weapon stations as part of Common Armored Vehicle System (CAVS) 6×6 programs. Patria is jointly owned by the Finnish state and Kongsberg.
Rounding off other recent major wins, Kongsberg landed a contract with Oslo for the upgrade of combat systems integrated on Royal Norwegian Navy Skjold-class vessels, valued at an estimated 400 million NOK. An agreement between Kongsberg and US giant Lockheed Martin for F-35 fighter jet components was also finalized in March. The combat aircraft deal has “an expected total value” of 2 billion NOK, according to Kongsberg.
Regarding key financial performance metrics, company revenues of 9.2 billion NOK were recorded for the quarter, up 26 percent from Q1 2025. Additionally, an order backlog jump of 17 billion NOK for Q1 this year increases the company’s overall backlog figure to 152 billion NOK.
Elsewhere, Kongsberg is eyeing growth in the US as it looks to close on the acquisition of California-based, low-cost missile producer Zone 5.
The still-to-be-completed takeover forms “part of the ambition both to expand the company’s existing missile portfolio and to address the need for a greater number of more cost‑efficient missiles,” Kongsberg noted in its latest quarterly report. “The initiative is intended to strengthen KONGSBERG’s presence in the United States, which is both an important partner and a key market.”
Aviation Week reported on Wednesday that Kongsberg is hopeful of receiving word from the US government about the proposed acquisition in the coming weeks.
