Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace AS

Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace AS (KDA) is part of Kongsberg Gruppen ASA (KONGSBERG), a Norwegian-based international technology enterprise with operations in 25 countries. With 1,831 employees, KDA had operating revenues of NOK 4,450 billion in 2008.

The Most Important Product Areas for the Defence Market
1. Command and Weapon Control
Systems
• Different types of command and control systems for land, air and sea-based defence

• Army systems; development and deliveries of the Odin 2 weapon system for the Norwegian Armed Forces. Another functionality developed for the Protector (RWS) in 2008 facilitates the coordination of a force’s weapon control systems. This system is called Blue Force Protector
• Air Defence; NASAMS is a mobile air defence system developed in conjunction with the Norwegian Air Force and US defence contractor Raytheon. This strategic cooperation generally involves KONGSBERG supplying decision-support tools and command and control systems, while Raytheon supplies missiles, radars and other equipment for the air defence systems. NASAMS II is a further development of the system, including an upgrading of the decision-making component and the radar, as well as a new electro-optical sensor
• Naval Systems; makes command and weapon control systems for naval vessels, and systems for surface and underwater surveillance of sea, coastal and harbour waters, as well as training equipment and simulators

2. Surveillance Systems
• Maritime and land-based surveillance systems for civilian, military and other public installations
• Kongsberg Norcontrol IT delivers systems for the surveillance of harbours and coastal waters
• The subsidiary Kongsberg Spacetec in Tromsø delivers ground systems for earth observation satellites and is the international market leader in the development of technology for satellite data ground stations
• Kongsberg Satellite Services is owned by KONGSBERG and the Norwegian Space Centre. The company downloads, analyses and communicates weather data from satellites and the environment. The downloading station TrollSat on Antarctica was opened in 2008. As the only supplier in the world, the company can now offer data from satellites in polar orbit as they pass over both the Arctic and Antarctica. A contract was also signed with Raytheon in connection with the satellite programme NPOESS
• KONGSBERG also aims to strengthen its position as a supplier of surveillance systems for the Barents Sea region, to be ready for oil and gas operations.

3. Dynamic Systems
• Remote weapon stations developed to protect troops in armoured personnel carriers
• The Protector Remote Weapon Station was developed to protect military personnel inside armoured vehicles. The operator remotely controls the system from a protected position inside the vehicle
• Today’s Protector is the 4th generation Remote Weapon System qualified for international operations. KONGSBERG spends considerable resources on improving the weapon control system. Protector currently consists of: Protector M151, Protector Lite and Sea Protector

Communications Solutions
• Different types of tactical radio and communications systems, for land-based defence
• The systems are mainly for export customers. In 2008, a strategically important contract was signed with the Norwegian Armed Forces for a new generation of radio lines for high-speed data transfer

4. Anti-ship Missiles
• Develops and manufactures anti-ship missiles and delivers advanced technology for international aerospace activities
• The Naval Strike Missile (NSM) is a four metres long missile and weighs about 400 kilos. The missile has properties that enable it to follow the terrain at a very low altitude at high subsonic speed. It is built of composite material and has a surface and shape that make radar detection difficult
• The missile is equipped with an infrared intelligent imaging seeker based on the world’s foremost seeker technology. Using satellite navigation (GPS), inertial navigation and a laser altimeter, the missile knows exactly where it is. The missile contains a large number of processors for guidance and navigation, as well as for target detection through image recognition
• Space Programmes; KONGSBERG is Norway’s largest supplier to ESA, the European Space Agency. The division has provided equipment for numerous space programmes, and for many satellites and booster rockets. In February 2009, a large contract was signed for deliveries to the Ariane 5 programme

5. Aerostructures
• Advanced composite and titanium components for fighter craft
• KONGSBERG has been engaged in composite production since the 1990s. The division makes missile structures and cockpit floors for the NH90 helicopter, rudders and flaps for the Eurofighter, as well as panels for a series of satellite programmes
• In November 2008, KONGSBERG opened a large-scale plant for advanced production of aircraft components in composite and titanium. The plant will make complex composite parts for rudders, fuselage panels and air-to-air pylons for F-35 Lightning II – Joint Strike Fighter (JSF)