The battalion was formally established at Porsangmoen on 20 August. A combat air-defence battery and signals company were formed at the same ceremony.
K9 Vidar is the Norwegian version of Hanwha’s K9 artillery system. It currently has a range of more than 40 kilometres.
The system is also prepared to use future ramjet-powered ammunition. Norway said the ammunition could extend its range beyond 120 kilometres.
The Army expects the artillery battalion’s main capabilities to be in place during 2028. It said the unit’s formation and build-up are running ahead of schedule.
The Norwegian Armed Forces linked the expansion to Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine and the deteriorating security environment. The brigade is intended to defend northern Norway with long-range precision fire and support from joint and allied forces.
“This is a day of joy for the Finnmark Brigade,” said Brigadier John Olav Fuglem, commander of the brigade. “We are ready for the further build-up, now it is urgent.”
The expansion requires new barracks, housing, offices, multi-purpose halls and a suitable firing range. Cyber, logistics and infrastructure organisations in Finnmark will also grow.
The Finnmark Brigade is scheduled to become fully operational by 2033. It is expected to comprise about 4,000 permanent personnel, conscripts and reservists.
The permanent workforce is projected to increase from about 350 in autumn 2026 to between 700 and 800 by 2033. The remaining positions will be filled by conscripts and reservists.
“Now we are building up the Armed Forces and strengthening Norway’s defence capability,” Defence Minister Tore O. Sandvik said. “In the updated long-term plan, we are bringing forward the Finnmark Brigade to strengthen our military preparedness and ability to deter in the north.”
“This is a milestone, and illustrates how the defence sector is now converting increased budgets into defence capability,” Sandvik said. “That is important for securing the country in unsettled times.”
