The making of Terne: the first Norwegian weapons system 1953-1962
Description
Terne was the first weapons system ever developed and produced in Norway. A modernized version of Terne is still on board Norwegian naval vessels for use against submarines. When it was developed in the late Fifties it was regarded as one of the best anti-submarine weapons in the world. This study concentrates on the organizational aspects of the development of Terne. The weapon system originated in the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (NDRE) and there was no demand for the weapons system. Normally, Norway bought such equipment from abroad.
For seven years the NDRE, and others, mobilized broad support for the production and sale of Terne. Navy officers, bureaucrats in the Ministry of Defence and politicans reluctantly started promoting the weapon system. The promotion was not successful as far as the sale of Terne was concerned., but the NDRE and Kongsberg Våpenfabrikk learned how to get support from officers and politicans, in this country and in the United States. This experience was probably decisive when the NDRE and KV started developing and producing the Penguin missile.