Seeking international partners for national standardized vessel tender

The Norwegian Parliament has approved the acquisition of up to 28 standardized vessels for the Navy. These will be built in two variants: a large, ocean-going version and a smaller, coastal version. Over time, they will replace eight existing vessel classes in the Navy’s current fleet.

Today the government announced that the development and construction of the vessels will be based on a national competition. This is in line with The Parliament’s recommendation, and the aim is to ensure national supply security and maintain expertise in designing, equipping, and maintaining military vessels in Norway; capabilities that are essential for defence purposes.

Seeking allied collaboration

The new vessels will hopefully be attractive to other countries and create a foundation for international collaboration.

- Norway and our allies will be spending large sums on defence in the coming years. It’s important that we think innovatively and use our resources more wisely by having multiple countries procure the same standardized defence systems and platforms. This will allow us to collaborate more closely on maintenance and development and operate more seamlessly together. It also spreads costs across more countries, giving us more defence for our money, Norwegian Minister of Defence, Tore O. Sandvik.

We are taking concrete steps to ensure progress and meet the ambition of starting construction in 2027, with the first vessels ready by 2030, says Tore O. Sandvik. Photo: Synne Kvam /Forsvarsdepartementet.

- Several nations have already expressed interest, and we will maintain close government contact with potential partners going forward, he added.

According to the ministry the preliminary project will start immediately.

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The Norwegian naval acquisition for a new generation of vessel will not only strengthen national security but will also be opening new opportunities for international companies to collaborate with Norway’s world-leading maritime industry. Bergen is the headquarters for the Norwegian Navy, with Haakonsvern, the largest naval base in Scandinavia. Photo: Jacob Østheim/Forsvaret.

Facts

• The vessels will be designed to keep pace with technological developments throughout their lifespan.
• Navy-standardized vessels will serve as platforms for maritime surveillance, mine deployment and removal, protection of other vessels, and limited anti-submarine warfare. They will be equipped with modular weapons and sensor systems.
• The vessels will also be capable of carrying modular systems for seabed monitoring and protection of critical underwater infrastructure.
• Standardized vessels for the Coast Guard will be tailored to Coast Guard missions but may also be equipped with some of the Navy’s modular systems when needed.