The Norwegian Ministry of Defence has announced its intent to engage with the UK, US, France, and Germany in discussions on a strategic partnership for the Royal Norwegian Navy’s next-generation frigates.
These ships will replace the aging Fridtjof Nansen-class and represent Norway’s largest planned military investment, aimed at bolstering national and NATO maritime security amidst growing geopolitical challenges.
“The new frigates represent the largest acquisition planned for the Norwegian Armed Forces in the coming years,” said Defence Minister Bjørn Arild Gram. “Norway is an important maritime nation in NATO, and through this and other maritime investments we will be strengthening both national and allied security.”
Approved by the Norwegian Parliament in June 2024, the Long-Term Plan for the Armed Forces outlines the acquisition of at least five, optionally six, anti-submarine warfare frigates equipped with embarked helicopters.
In a departure from traditional procurement methods, these new frigates will not be standalone purchases but part of a strategic partnership with a close ally. This collaboration will encompass joint acquisition, operation, maintenance, and development throughout the ships’ service life.
Norway also seeks to accelerate delivery by joining an existing production line, avoiding interim upgrades to the current fleet. Gram noted, “Solid and predictable cooperation on both security and defence policy will be at the heart of the strategic partnership that we envision, which will include everything from force generation to operations and joint development of new capabilities.”
A decision on Norway’s strategic partner is expected by 2025, with the Government prioritising industrial collaboration. Gram emphasised the potential for domestic economic benefits, stating, “The Norwegian Government’s goal is that our planned maritime investments should help generate jobs and opportunities throughout the country. A key consideration will therefore be the ability for Norwegian technology and industry to contribute to the development and sustainment of both our own future frigates and those of our chosen strategic partner.”
The UK’s Type 26 frigate, already under construction for the Royal Navy and adopted by Australia and Canada, is considered a strong contender. Designed for advanced anti-submarine warfare capabilities and equipped with cutting-edge technology, the Type 26 benefits from an active production line—aligning closely with Norway’s requirements for expedited delivery. Earlier reporting by the UK Defence Journal highlighted that BAE Systems, which builds the Type 26, recently hosted Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace at its Glasgow shipyard to explore potential collaboration.
BAE Systems has also hosted senior Norwegian officials to view the Type 26 frigates under construction, further showcasing the platform’s capabilities.
Norway’s broader defence strategy, outlined in its long-term plan, also calls for increased spending on submarines and standardised vessel classes, reflecting its commitment to modernising maritime capabilities.
shame we won’t know how good the T26 really is until we bloody get one
I wish UKDJ would be more specific on when things happened. This could be new information with another announcement by Norwegian MOD or warmed up news from earlier in the year, or some combination of both. It’s impossible to judge the detail of what has been said outside the context of when.
Hope they are happy to wait 10 years!!!!
Don’t be too sure. An easy way to raise cash, and win the order, is simply to sell them ones off the UK production line. The ship is still dedicated to ASW in the North Atlantic, only with a Norwegian crew, and the British defence budget saves some money.
I’d be happy with that – especially if the UK was also able to ramp up production so that they could (eventually) almost become ‘off the shelf’ products. Permanent on going production (so that we may finish up buying more than we want) means we would have ships available for sale to allies on short notice – seems to be the best of both worlds.
Sea Ceptor ER has better range than ESSM.
Will the Skywegians want that or will they go for the RAN/RCN version and keep their American weapons?
With their previous frigates they have tended to adopt the combat system wholesale along with the ship. This is their entire surface combatant fleet so less of a logistical issue than with the RN.
I suspect they will retain the mix with CAMM and also Artisan from the T26 UK variant.
I wonder if we could come up with an offset deal for the second Proteous style ship or the three MCM motherships to join Stirling Castle. The Norwegians have great capabilities in the offshore supply vessels field that fits in very well with these roles.
Much better for us to build more frigates than try and start something fresh like MCM.
I would be very disappointed if Norway didn’t go for the T26 given its requirements. Seems like a perfect fit and if I remember correctly Norway is already part of the supply chain.