Key US defense projects with Norway, Canada continue despite tensions

MILAN — Major defense projects involving the United States, Canada, and Norway remain on track in spite of strained relations with traditional allies following the Trump administration’s push for Greenland.

The cooperative endeavors illustrate how relationships in the spheres of defense trade and other fields are deeply rooted in the fabric of American alliances grown over decades, offering U.S. companies predictable markets and access for troops.

For example, a defense pact signed between Norway and the United States in 2021, which provides U.S. forces with “ unimpeded ” access to a dozen Norwegian military facilities, is prospering, according to a senior advisor at the Norwegian Ministry of Defense.

“The Supplementary Defense Cooperation Agreement (SDCA) remains an important asset in facilitating further development of the bilateral defense cooperation between Norway and the U.S.,” Asgeir Spange Brekke told Defense News in an email statement.

Under the agreement, American troops and contracts can use a total of 12 agreed Norwegian areas, including key bases such as the Rygge airport, where some of the country’s F-35As are kept. In 2023, the Norwegian Ministry of Defense revealed that the U.S. was expected to invest $188 million into the expansion of the air station, which Spange Brekke says is moving according to plan.

“The planned U.S. investments in infrastructure at Rygge is an example of the modernized defense cooperation under the SDCA Norway continues to support the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the U.S. Air Forces in Europe in their efforts to solicit and award contracts for U.S. projects there,” he said.

The modernization of the facility includes the building of four fighter hangars, warehouses, increased capacity for ammunition storage, as well as a fenced area around it with a patrol road.

In September, a contract notice showed that USACE was looking for proposals to prepare a “beddown site” for 575 military troops at the Rygge airbase, a project valued between $5 and $10 million.

Last year, Lockheed Martin announced that it completed the delivery of the 52 F-35A to the Royal Norwegian Air Force, making the Scandinavian country the first F-35 partner nation to fulfill its program of record.

Another project that has been spared so far from ongoing frictions between the U.S. and its northern neighbor, Canada, is the purchase of 11 MQ-9B SkyGuardian drones, a General Atomics spokesperson said.

The contract, signed in 2023, is on track to deliver the first systems by the end of 2028, with the initial training for Canadian personnel set to take place in the United States.

“I can’t speak for all things, but I can say the relationship between General Atomics and the Canadian government remains very strong – our contract is proceeding with the same conviction and focus it achieved from day 1,” company spokesman C. Mark Brinkley said.

Trade disputes and the imposition of tariffs remain a significant source of tension between the two countries. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney visited China earlier this month to deepen economic ties, as Canada seeks to broaden its trade portfolio.

Elisabeth Gosselin-Malo was a Europe correspondent for Defense News. She covers a wide range of topics related to military procurement and international security, and specializes in reporting on the aviation sector. She is based in Milan, Italy.

米兰——尽管特朗普政府推进格陵兰岛项目导致与传统盟友的关系紧张，但涉及美国、加拿大和挪威的重大国防项目仍在按计划进行。

这些合作努力表明，国防贸易和其他领域的合作关系深深植根于几十年来美国联盟的结构之中，为美国公司提供了可预测的市场，并为军队提供了便利。

例如，据挪威国防部一位高级顾问称，挪威和美国在 2021 年签署的一项防务协议正在蓬勃发展，该协议为美军提供了“不受阻碍的”进入挪威十几个军事设施的权限。

“《补充防务合作协议》（SDCA）仍然是促进挪威和美国进一步发展双边防务合作的重要资产，”阿斯盖尔·斯潘格·布雷克在给《防务新闻》的电子邮件声明中表示。

根据协议，美军及其合同方可以使用挪威境内共计12个约定区域，其中包括吕格机场等重要基地，挪威的部分F-35A战斗机就驻扎在该机场。2023年，挪威国防部透露，美国预计将投资1.88亿美元用于扩建该空军基地，斯潘格·布雷克表示，扩建工程正按计划进行。

他说：“美国计划在吕格岛进行基础设施投资，这是根据《国防合作协议》实现现代化国防合作的一个例证。挪威将继续支持美国陆军工程兵团和美国空军在欧洲争取和授予美国项目的合同。”

该设施的现代化改造包括建造四个战斗机机库、仓库、增加弹药储存能力，以及在其周围建造带巡逻道路的围栏区域。

9 月份的一份合同通知显示，美国陆军工程兵团正在征集方案，为 Rygge 空军基地的 575 名军事人员准备一个“驻地”，该项目价值 500 万至 1000 万美元。

去年，洛克希德·马丁公司宣布已完成向挪威皇家空军交付 52 架 F-35A 战斗机，使这个北欧国家成为第一个完成其记录在案的 F-35 项目的国家。

通用原子公司的一位发言人表示，迄今为止，美国与其北方邻国加拿大之间持续不断的摩擦尚未波及的另一个项目是购买 11 架 MQ-9B 天空卫士无人机。

该合同于 2023 年签署，预计将于 2028 年底交付首批系统，加拿大人员的初步培训将在美国进行。

“我不能代表所有事情发言，但我可以说通用原子公司与加拿大政府之间的关系仍然非常牢固——我们的合同正以从一开始就有的信念和专注度继续推进，”公司发言人 C·马克·布林克利说。

贸易争端和关税问题仍然是两国关系紧张的重要根源。加拿大总理马克·卡尼本月初访问中国，旨在深化两国经济联系，加拿大也希望借此拓展其贸易组合。

伊丽莎白·戈斯林-马洛曾任《防务新闻》欧洲通讯员。她的报道涵盖军事采购和国际安全等广泛领域，尤其擅长航空领域的报道。她常驻意大利米兰。