Malaysia-Norway tensions deepen over scrapped missile deal
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A Norwegian Coastal Corvette sails during the NATO Cold Response 2026 military exercise in the Ofotfjord in Arctic Norway.
PHOTO: REUTERS
KUALA LUMPUR – Tensions between Malaysia and Norway heightened over a scrapped weapons deal as Oslo confirmed it had revoked export licences tied to a naval strike missile system.
Norway is limiting sales of its most sensitive defence technologies to its allies and closest partners, its Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in an e-mail to Bloomberg News. That led to the revokement of certain licences related to the export of specific defence technology to Malaysia, it said.
“This is solely due to Norway’s application of the export control regulations, and it is regrettable that this affects Malaysia,” it said.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on May 14 slammed Norway’s move, warning it could damage confidence in European defence suppliers.
Datuk Seri Anwar said he raised the country’s “vehement objection” in a phone call with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, after Oslo blocked delivery of the naval missile system and launcher components intended for Malaysia’s littoral combat ship (LCS) programme.
“The security policy landscape in Europe and globally has changed significantly in recent years,” Norway’s foreign ministry said in the e-mail. “The government has therefore, over time, worked to strengthen controls on defence technology developed in Norway.”
Although the deal was signed in 2011, the first LCS vessels were set to be delivered later in 2026. Costs have risen to RM11.2 billion (S$3.6 billion) from an initial RM9 billion, even as the order was reduced from six ships to five. Bloomberg
