Kongsberg and US Army Sign Multi-Year Agreement for Remote Weapon Stations

Released on Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, a subsidiary of Kongsberg Gruppen ASA, has signed a framework agreement with the US Army for the delivery of Remote Weapon Stations (RWS) for the CROWS (Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station) programme. The agreement is valued at approx. NOK 8 billion and will have a duration of five years. The total scope of the agreement will depend on future demand and annual allocations. KONGSBERG has received the first order under the framework agreement. The order carries a value of NOK 1.7 billion and applies to the delivery of weapon stations, spare parts and support.

CROWS is a joint acquisition programme for weapon stations for the US Army's vehicle programmes. A common solution will result in substantial efficiency gains in respect of protection, training, support and further development.

Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace has further developed its PROTECTOR RWS to meet the specifications for CROWS. The product protects members of the military crew by allowing the vehicle's weapons to be operated from inside the vehicle.

"KONGSBERG is currently a world leader in the production and delivery of weapon stations. Thus far, the Group has delivered more than 2000 systems to military customers in seven countries. The CROWS contract represents an important, challenging task for Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace. It ensures the Group's position as by far the leading contractor in remotely controlled weapon systems for armoured personnel carriers", comments Executive Vice President Egil Haugsdal of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace.

KONGSBERG is a multinational, knowledge-based group with 4000 employees in more than 20 countries. The Group delivers high-technology systems to discerning customers engaged in offshore oil and gas production, the merchant marine, and the defence and aerospace industries. KONGSBERG is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange (Ticker: KOG) and had a turnover of NOK 6.7 billion in 2006.

The subsidiary Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace is Norway's premier supplier of defence and aerospace-related systems. The company had operating revenues of NOK 3 billion and more than 1500 employees in 2006. The company has a production unit located in the US state of Pennsylvania to both manufacture, and handle the service and maintenance of weapon stations.