The Norwegian defence industry – main figures for 2025

The report describes the scope and development of the Norwegian defence industry in 2025. It is based primarily on information provided by 92 companies. The respondents include the largest industry players and therefore represent a significantly larger share of economic activity than the 30 percent response rate would suggest.
Total defence-related revenue amounted to NOK 61.4 billion, representing an increase of 33 percent compared with 2024. Revenue increased across all market segments. Sales to foreign customers grew by 32 percent and accounted for approximately 75 percent of total revenue, while exports increased by 31 percent to NOK 24.8 billion. Revenue generated in Norway rose by 37 percent to NOK 15.7 billion.
Companies classified as large accounted for 75 percent of total revenue. Seven companies fall within this size category in this year’s survey, compared with four in the previous report. This should be considered when comparing results across size groups.
Total defence-related R&D expenditure increased by 19 percent. Externally funded R&D grew by 28 percent and accounted for 73 percent of total R&D activity, while self-financed R&D remained largely unchanged.
The companies reported 17,481 defence-related full-time equivalent (FTE) positions, 33 percent more than in the previous year. Of these, 10,092 were located in Norway and 7,389 in foreign subsidiaries.
Order backlogs increased by 22 percent to more than NOK 171.7 billion. The majority of respondents expect continued growth in 2026.