Formidable Shield 2025

KONGSBERG capabilities tested in NATO live-fire exercise

More than a dozen allies are training side by side in the airspace and waters off Andøya as part of Formidable Shield 2025 – NATO’s largest and most important deterrence exercise this year.

  • Text:Amanda Chapman-Stavn / KONGSBERG

    Photo:Magnus Bjørnnes / KONGSBERG

Formidable Shield is also Europe’s largest live-fire air missile exercise at sea this year. Among the systems being used are NASAMS and NOMADS from Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, reflecting the growing role of Norwegian-developed technology in NATO operations.

Running from 3 to 25 May, Formidable Shield will improve allied ability to cooperate in an integrated air and missile defence concept. Main activity in Norway from 5 to 10 May will include live-fire engagements against a variety of targets – both from land toward sea and from allied vessels at sea. Participating aircraft include the F-35 and P-8. During this phase, NASAMS and NOMADS will be used in live-fire scenarios from land, supported by the HIMARS rocket artillery system.

  Formidable Shield allows us to validate key capabilities in real-world scenarios alongside NATO partners. The data and operational insight we gain from this is extremely valuable for continued development and integration. These are systems built for exactly this kind of mission – protecting forces, infrastructure and people against airborne threats.

Vidar Skjelstad, VP Strategic campaigns at Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace

NASAMS

While NASAMS is a mobile air defence system primarily designed to protect bases, cities, airports, and other strategically important areas and critical infrastructure, NOMADS is intended to be deployed closer to and at the frontline. Read more about Integrated Air Defence,

NOMADS

Vessels, aircraft and personnel on the ground from ten nations: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States are gathering on Andøya.

They will practice protecting the airspace over Norway. In total, about 2,500 soldiers are participating in the exercise, but most of them are out on the vessels.

“Formidable Shield is an important exercise for the Armed Forces and the Navy. It gives us the opportunity to practice in highly relevant areas such as air and missile defense together with our allies. Seamless cooperation with NATO is an important part of our defense concept, and during this exercise we can really challenge ourselves with demanding scenarios and advanced integration,” says Commander of the Navy, Flag Commander Trond Gimmingsrud.

After the activity in Norway, Formidable Shield continues with a live-fire exercise at the Hebrides off the coast of Scotland.

Norwegian and allied vessels participating

Norwegian vessels: KNM Roald Amundsen, KNM Gnist, KNM Magnus Lagabøte.

Allied vessels: The Spanish frigate Blas De Lezo is the flagship for the exercise, Spain is also participating with the logistics vessel Patina. The United States is participating with the destroyers USS Arleigh Burke and USS Oscar Austin, the Netherlands with the frigate HNLMS Tromp, France with the frigate FS Bretagne and Denmark with the frigate HDMS Espen Snare.

Formidable Shield is held every two years and is one of NATO’s most important integrated air and missile defence exercises. By training across multiple platforms, services and nationalities, the exercise strengthens cooperation and enhances deterrence.

“The participation of NASAMS and NOMADS in this year’s exercise underscores the operational relevance of KONGSBERG systems."

"NASAMS has long been a trusted solution worldwide, and NOMADS brings the added advantage of mobility and rapid deployment for modern air defence operations,” says Skjelstad.

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