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 is 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.
