Norway will raise defense spending by $12 billion by 2036, the government said in March 2026, as it also delayed committing to long-range defense systems while it learns lessons from the Ukraine war. The spending comes on top of Norway’s previously announced plan to spend $167 billion on defense between 2025 and 2036.
Norway, like other NATO members, is increasing defense spending because of the war and at the urging of the United States. The extra spending will take Norway to its NATO commitment of 3.5% of GDP in 2035, the government said. “We are … allocating a significant increase in resources to the long-term plan, while also carefully weighing the priorities needed to rapidly strengthen Norway’s defense capabilities,” Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said at a news conference.
Norway is NATO’s monitor for the vast 2 million-square-kilometer area of the North Atlantic used by the Russian northern fleet’s nuclear submarines. It is the only country in Europe that does not need to borrow money to finance increased defense spending, thanks to its $2 trillion sovereign wealth fund, the world’s largest. It also is one of few countries where there was a consensus when the long-term defense plan was presented, with all parties in parliament backing it in 2024. Support for Ukraine would come in addition to the 3.5% of GDP spending, the government said.
Oslo has committed to buy six submarines from Germany’s TKMS and at least five frigates from Britain’s BAE Systems as well as long-range rockets and artillery systems from South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace. The first of the six submarines will be delivered in 2029 while the first two frigates are expected to arrive in 2030 and 2032, respectively, Støre said on March 27.