From sea trials to system expertise
When Audun first joined Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, he spent much of his time at sea – taking part in trials on the Norwegian Navy’s high-speed vessels. The hands-on experience from those missions now helps him ensure that some of the world’s most advanced defence systems operate seamlessly.
It all started at sea
Audun began his career as a software engineer on the Navy’s Skjold-class vessels, where he worked on the integration of the Naval Strike Missile (NSM). “It was an incredibly exciting time. I spent a lot of time at sea, testing weapon systems alongside the customer, and I was there for the very first NSM launch at Andøya – that was a real milestone,” he recalls.
As Trial Director, he was responsible for leading the onboard tests and ensuring everything went according to plan.
“I gained invaluable experience. At times I’d be climbing the masts to fine-tune camera sensors; at others, using theodolites to align complex systems. It was diverse, demanding – and immensely rewarding,” he says.
The experience from the Skjold-class has stayed with him, and he’s still occasionally invited to take part in trials and demonstrations – most recently at Andøya alongside the Polish Armed Forces.
“It’s nice to get out of the office once in a while. There’s something rewarding about seeing the results of your work first-hand,” he says.
After the test firing of the NSM during the Pacific Griffin exercise in 2019, Audun and his colleagues were picked up from the USS Gabrielle Giffords by a Seahawk helicopter that took them back to the mainland on Guam.
“Basically, I find the right pieces and make them work together. If something breaks, I help the developers figure out why and get everything back up and running.”
His work is built on Linux systems – something he genuinely enjoys.
“It suits me perfectly. I like understanding what’s happening under the bonnet, and Linux gives me that flexibility,” he says.
His job is about more than just making complex systems run smoothly – it’s about contributing to something greater, like a nation’s ability to defend itself.
“It feels good to know that what we do actually saves lives. It gives you perspective,” he says.
A culture of collaboration and learning
Audun describes his department as friendly and informal, yet with a strong professional culture.
“We joke around a lot, but we take things seriously when we need to. It’s a place where people learn from one another – knowledge and experience are shared all the time,” he says.
Although he doesn’t really think of himself as a senior, Audun admits that a big part of his everyday work involves helping others.
“People often stop by with questions, and I try to help where I can. That’s how we grow – together,” he says.
