1814 CE
Founding of Kongsberg Våpenfabrikk
The Norwegian government establishes Kongsberg Våpenfabrikk (Kongsberg Weapons Factory) to produce arms for the military. #history #defense
Chronological Storyline (44 Milestones)
1815 CE
First Production of Muskets
Kongsberg Våpenfabrikk begins producing M1815 muskets for the Norwegian Army. #military #manufacturing
1850 CE
Adoption of Rifling Technology
The factory transitions from smoothbore to rifled musket production, improving accuracy. #technology #innovation
1870 CE
Begin Cannon Production
Kongsberg expands into artillery, producing field cannons for the Norwegian military. #artillery #defense
1900 CE
Machine Gun Production
Kongsberg begins manufacturing the Krag–Petersson machine gun, later becoming an important supplier. #firearms #history
1914 CE
World War I Production Boom
During WWI, Kongsberg massively increases production of rifles and machine guns to meet military demand. #wwi #industry
Apr 9, 1940 CE
Nazi Germany Occupies Kongsberg
German forces take control of the factory, using it to produce arms for the Wehrmacht. #wwii #occupation
May 8, 1945 CE
Post-War Reconstruction
After WWII, the factory resumes production under Norwegian control, focusing on civilian products like sewing machines initially. #postwar #recovery
1950 CE
Development of Rockets
Kongsberg begins research into rocket technology, laying groundwork for future missile systems. #rockets #research
1962 CE
Penguin Anti-Ship Missile Development Starts
Kongsberg initiates development of the Penguin anti-ship missile, a pioneering fire-and-forget system. #missiles #innovation
By Original U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Lisa Aman. (RELEASED) - Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons by Alaniaris using CommonsHelper. This image was released by the United States Navy with the ID 020723-N-9536A-005 (next). This tag does not indicate the copyright status of the attached work. A normal copyright tag is still required. See Commons:Licensing. العربية ∙ বাংলা ∙ Bahasa Indonesia ∙ Bahaso Jambi ∙ Deutsch ∙ Deutsch (Sie-Form) ∙ English ∙ español ∙ euskara ∙ فارسی ∙ français ∙ italiano ∙ 日本語 ∙ 한국어 ∙ македонски ∙ മലയാളം ∙ Plattdüütsch ∙ Nederlands ∙ polski ∙ پښتو ∙ português ∙ русский ∙ slovenščina ∙ svenska ∙ Türkçe ∙ українська ∙ 简体中文 ∙ 繁體中文 ∙ +/−, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4326430
1970 CE
First Penguin Missile Delivery
The Penguin missile enters service with the Royal Norwegian Navy, marking Kongsberg's success in guided weapons. #navy #missiles
1972 CE
State-Owned Enterprise Restructuring
Kongsberg Våpenfabrikk is reorganized as a state-owned enterprise (Statsforetak) under the Ministry of Defence. #governance #defense
1975 CE
Diversification into Aerospace
Kongsberg begins manufacturing aircraft components for Boeing, entering the civilian aerospace market. #aerospace #civilian
1987 CE
Merger Forms Norsk Forsvarsteknologi
Kongsberg Våpenfabrikk merged with Norsk Forsvarsteknologi (NFT) to create a larger defense entity. #merger #defense
1990 CE
NASAMS Development Begins
Kongsberg partners with Raytheon to develop the NASAMS surface-to-air missile system. #airdefense #partnership
By Soldatnytt from Oslo, Norway - Øvelse Seapie (17 of 17), CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11845639
Jun 1, 1993 CE
Corporate Rebranding and IPO
The company is renamed Kongsberg Gruppen ASA and listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange, privatizing the state's majority stake. #ipo #privatization
1995 CE
Acquisition of Simrad
Kongsberg acquires Simrad, a leading maritime electronics company, strengthening its position in marine technology. #acquisition #maritime
1996 CE
Acquisition of Norcom
Kongsberg buys Norcom, a Norwegian communications company, expanding into defense communications. #acquisition #communications
1998 CE
CEO Change Under Jan Erik Korssjøen
Jan Erik Korssjøen becomes CEO, leading a strategic focus on international expansion and product lines. #leadership #strategy
2000 CE
Joint Venture with Raytheon for Missiles
Kongsberg and Raytheon form a joint venture to produce the Naval Strike Missile (NSM) for export markets. #jointventure #missiles
By Department of Defense - https://www.dote.osd.mil/Portals/97/pub/reports/FY2020/navy/2020oth-ws.pdf?ver=MR9sHHzGOSmGqyf0erpJRw%3D%3D, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=107275207
2002 CE
Acquisition of US-Based Company
Kongsberg acquires a small US defense electronics firm to strengthen its presence in the American market. #acquisition #USA
2004 CE
Development of Protector Remote Weapon Station
Kongsberg introduces the Protector RWS, a remotely operated weapon station that becomes a global success. #weapons #innovation
By MKFI - Own work, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=59963626
2006 CE
Acquisition of Nammo? No, Partnership
Kongsberg and Nammo strengthen cooperation on missile propulsion systems. #partnership #missiles
2008 CE
Spin-off of Automotive Division
Kongsberg Automotive is divested as a separate company, allowing Kongsberg Gruppen to focus on defense and maritime. #spinoff #restructuring
By Kongsberg Automotive - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=117318643
2010 CE
Major US Contract for CROWS
The US Army awards a substantial contract for Kongsberg's Common Remotely Operated Weapon System (CROWS). #contract #USA
By www.peosoldier.army.mil - https://www.peosoldier.army.mil/photos/CROWS_XM312_0064-web.jpg https://www.peosoldier.army.mil/multimedia.asp, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2543212
2012 CE
Acquisition of Weibel Scientific
Kongsberg acquires Weibel Scientific, a Danish radar and Doppler measurement company. #acquisition #radar
By Unknown author - http://www.weibel.dk/, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19174230
May 2, 2014 CE
200-Year Anniversary Celebrations
Kongsberg Gruppen marks its bicentennial with events highlighting its evolution from a weapons factory to a global tech leader. #anniversary #milestone
2015 CE
Development of Joint Strike Missile
Kongsberg launches the Joint Strike Missile (JSM) designed for internal carriage in the F-35 fighter. #missiles #f35
By Strak Jegan - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=52431293
2016 CE
Acquisition of Raytheon's Kongsberg Share
Kongsberg buys out Raytheon from their joint ventures, gaining full control of missile programs. #acquisition #jointventure
2017 CE
Restructuring of Defence & Aerospace Division
Kongsberg reorganizes its defence and aerospace segment into two separate business areas for efficiency. #restructuring #defense
2018 CE
Record Revenues Exceed NOK 30 Billion
Kongsberg Gruppen reports record annual revenues, driven by strong sales in defense and maritime systems. #financials #growth
Mar 15, 2020 CE
COVID-19 Impact and Digital Transformation
The pandemic disrupts operations, but Kongsberg accelerates digitalization and remote services for maritime clients. #covid19 #digitaltransformation
2021 CE
Acquisition of Austrian IT Firm
Kongsberg acquires an Austrian IT security company to bolster cyber defense capabilities. #acquisition #cyber
Jun 1, 2022 CE
Expansion of US Manufacturing Facility
Kongsberg opens a new production facility in Virginia to meet growing US demand for missile systems. #expansion #USA
Feb 1, 2023 CE
Major Contract for Naval Strike Missile
The US Navy orders the Naval Strike Missile for its Littoral Combat Ships, solidifying Kongsberg's position in the US market. #contract #navy
Jan 1, 2024 CE
Launch of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace AI Division
Kongsberg establishes a new division focused on artificial intelligence for autonomous systems. #AI #innovation
2025 CE
Partnership with Japanese Defense Firms
Kongsberg signs a strategic agreement with Japanese companies to co-develop next-generation missiles. #partnership #asia
Sep 1, 2026 CE
Record Order Backlog Exceeds NOK 100 Billion
Kongsberg announces a record order backlog, reflecting strong demand across all divisions. #financials #growth
Mar 1, 2027 CE
Appointment of New CEO
Kongsberg appoints a new CEO to lead the next phase of international expansion and technology development. #leadership #change
2029 CE
First Deployment of Autonomous Naval Vessels
Kongsberg's autonomous technology is deployed on a Norwegian Navy vessel for surveillance missions. #autonomous #navy
Jun 1, 2030 CE
Sustainability Report: Carbon Neutral Goal
Kongsberg announces a target to become carbon neutral in its own operations by 2035. #sustainability #environment
2032 CE
Acquisition of Australian Maritime Company
Kongsberg expands in the Asia-Pacific region by acquiring an Australian maritime technology firm. #acquisition #asia
2034 CE
Kongsberg Enters Space Sector
The company launches its first satellite payload for defense communications, entering the space market. #space #defense
2035 CE
Kongsberg Gruppen Reaches NOK 150 Billion Revenue
The company surpasses a historic revenue milestone, driven by global demand for its advanced systems. #financials #milestone