STOCKHOLM — Norway has been informed by Washington that it may face delays on deliveries of American-made weapons, Breaking Defense has learned.
“Norway has been contacted by US authorities, who have informed that delays may occur, but it is emphasized that no decision has been made,” the ministry’s spokesperson Brage Berglund wrote in an email to Breaking Defense when asked about possible delays.
The development comes against the backdrop of the ongoing war in the Middle East, which experts US lawmakers say is putting a strain on American stockpiles.
The Norwegian statement today aligns with similar warnings received by other Nordic and Baltic nations.
Yesterday, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, confirmed that several countries in the region are facing delays in weapons deliveries from the United States.
“There is no swift exit from the stand-off in the Strait of Hormuz in sight. And the consequences are negative across the board. The global economy is reeling. Russia is gaining fresh revenue from higher oil prices and US weapons deliveries to Nordic and Baltic countries face delays, “ Kallas said.
The statement was made after the Nordic-Baltic (NB8) foreign ministers’ meeting in Kuressaare, Estonia. Kallas did not specify whether all Nordic and Baltic countries were affected by the delays, nor did she receive any follow-up questions on the statement.
Earlier this week, Helsinki and Tallinn also publicly acknowledged delays in defense deliveries due to the war in the Middle East. Finnish President Alexander Stubb said that some US stockpiles are being delivered elsewhere, but he did not view this as alarming for Finland, according to Reuters.
Estonia had already reported earlier setbacks, particularly in the delivery of US-made HIMARS systems. In mid-April, the country’s public broadcaster ERR reported that the delays in US defense deliveries mainly affect ammunition for the rocket launcher system, some of which was scheduled to arrive this year.
Norwegian officials declined to specify to Breaking Defense which weapon systems might be affected or provide any timeline for the possible delays. And it is unclear which other countries in the region may be impacted.
During an April 9 interview in Washington, following the Reuters report, Sweden’s Defense Minister Pål Jonson told Breaking Defense that Stockholm had received no notification from the US about possible delays under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.
In response to an April 21 follow-up email, the minister told Breaking Defense that Sweden had “not received any notification of delivery delays” for FMS programs. In response to a follow-up question today from Breaking Defense, the ministry’s acting spokesperson Jan Joel Andersson, said the ministry “has no further comment to add on this issue.”
Denmark’s Ministry of Defense has previously declined to comment on possible delays, replying “no comment” when asked by Breaking Defense one week ago. The ministry has not responded to Breaking Defense’ follow-up question today.
A potential slowdown of arms — especially arms that have already been paid for — is likely to sit uneasily with Nordic and Baltic allies, many of whom have significantly increased defense spending at Washington’s request and rely heavily on US equipment to bolster their security amid heightened tensions in Europe due to Russia’s war on Ukraine.
