Nammo, short for Nordic Ammunition Company, is a Norwegian-Finnish aerospace and defence group specialized in production of ammunition, rocket engines and space applications. The company has subsidiaries in Finland, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, and the United States. The company ownership is evenly split between the Norwegian government (represented by the Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries) and the Finnish defence company Patria. The company has its headquarters in Raufoss, Norway.
The company has four business units: Small and Medium Caliber Ammunition, Large Caliber Systems, Aerospace Propulsion, and Commercial Ammunition.
History
Nammo was founded in 1998 by Raufoss (Norway), Patria (Finland), and Celsius [sv] (Sweden). The Lapua cartridge factory [fi] in Lapua, Finland, is also part of the Nammo group as Nammo Lapua Oy [fi]. In 2005, the present joint ownership between Patria and the Norwegian government was established.[2]
In 2007, Nammo acquired the US munitions company Talley, Inc. after purchasing 100% of its shares.
Controversies
Norwegian export control laws prohibit Norwegian companies from selling munitions to countries at war or conflict. Nammo's then information director, Sissel Solum, said Nammo bears no responsibility for the use of their munitions after purchase, although some claimed (including the Norwegian Church Aid and PRIO) that this is a breach of the intended spirit of national export regulations.[3][4]
In 2009, it was revealed that the Israeli Defense Forces purchased 28,000 M72 LAWs from Nammo Talley, along with weapons parts and training missiles valued at NOK 600 million. These munitions were later used in Operation Cast Lead.[3][5] According to Nammo Raufoss AS managing director, Lars Harald Lied, the company also produces 12.7mm "Multi-Purpose" ammunition[6] that was used by both American and Norwegian soldiers in the War in Afghanistan.
Products
Aerospace propulsion
Nammo produces the following missiles and missile propulsion systems:[7]
Nammo has manufactured shoulder-fired systems since the 1960s, with licence production of the M72 LAW beginning at Raufoss in Norway in 1966. In 2007, Nammo acquired the US munitions company Talley, Inc. after purchasing 100% of its shares. Today,[when?] Nammo has operations in ten places in the US (Nammo Defense Systems Inc.) and is the only licensed manufacturer of the M72 LAW, with production lines in Raufoss and Mesa, Arizona.
Nammo Defense Systems Inc., Mesa, Arizona, was awarded a $498,092,926 firm-fixed-price contract for the full rate production of M72 light assault weapon variants and components for shoulder-launched munitions training systems on 20 December 2021.[11]
Rocket engine consultancy and development
In 2019, Nammo was awarded an ESA contract to initiate development of a reusable rocket engine for the ascent stage of the Heracles lunar lander.[12] The engine may be fed by electrically driven pumps, from low pressure propellant tanks, which may enable in-space refueling.[12]
^ abLeer-Salvesen, Tarjei; Thorleifsson, Renie; Martiniussen, Erik (10 February 2009). "Norge tjener på våpensalg til Israel" [Norway Profits from Weapon Sales to Israel] (in Norwegian). NRK. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
^Løkeland-Stai, Espen (26 November 2015). "Fra Nammo til Israel" [From Nammo to Israel] (in Norwegian). Dagsavisen. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
