An M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System fires during an exercise in September 2017 at Rocket Valley, South Korea, conducted by the 2nd Infantry Division/ROK-U.S. Combined Division to train on field artillery operations. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army)
On May 18, Norway announced that it will transfer eight M270 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS) and three ARTHUR counter-battery radars to Ukraine in cooperation with the United Kingdom.
The country’s Defense Minister Bjorn Arild Gram made the announcement during a meeting with his British counterpart Ben Wallace in Northwood.
“Today we are confirming the delivery of long-range artillery and radars. Norway provides three Arthur artillery location radars and up to eight long-range rocket artillery of the MLRS type,” Gram said.
The United Kingdom, Norway, France and Germany supplied at least 16 MLRS systems to Kiev forces after the start of the Russian special military operation in Ukraine. Each system can be armed with up to 12 American-made M30/M31 series GMLRS GPS-guided rockets, which have a range of more than 70 kilometers, in two separate pods.
Ukraine also received a number of ARTHUR counter-battery radars from the UK a few months into the special military operation.
Depending on the verison, the Norwegian-Swedish radar can detect targets like mortar shells and rockets from a range from 15 to 60 kilometers.
Several of Ukraine’s MLRS systems and ARTHUR radars have been already damaged or destroyed, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense and other sources.
The new deliveries will make up for some of Ukraine’s material losses. However, they will not change much on the battlefield. The UK has been leading in military support for Kiev. It recently began pressuring both the United States and European countries to provide Western-made fighter jets to the Ukrainian Air Force.
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