The Royal Norwegian Navy has selected the Type 26 frigate offered by the UK for its next-generation frigate.
The new frigates will replace the Royal Norwegian Navy’s Fridtjof Nansen-class frigates, of which five were built but only four remain following the loss of one, Helge Ingstad, in 2018, after the vessel ran aground. Delivery of the British-built Type 26 frigates to Norway will start in 2030.
Norwegian defence minister Tore Sandvik said the Type 26 frigates will be primarily designed to undertake anti-submarine warfare and to detect, track down and engage submarines. He said the Norwegian and British vessels “will be as identical as possible, and have the same technical specification”, and that having nearly identical vessels “will enable us to operate even more efficiently together, reduce costs and make joint maintenance easier”. The minister noted that it also opens up the possibility for joint training of personnel, “and perhaps even using Norwegian and British crew interchangeably”.
The Norwegian frigates will be equipped with anti-submarine-capable helicopters, although a decision on the helicopter type has not yet been made. Sandvik said Norway also plans to consider rapid technological developments “and explore the possibilities for utilising unmanned platforms”. He said this is something that will also be examined with Norway’s British partners.
Selection of the Type 26 – which is being built for the UK Royal Navy and the Royal Australian and Canadian navies – is a major coup for the UK defence industry, which faced competition from the US and other European shipbuilders. The UK Government said, as a result of the deal, which will see BAE Systems build five Type 26 frigates for the Royal Norwegian Navy, billions of pounds will be pumped into the UK economy and 4,000 jobs will be secured, including 2,000 in Scotland. The deal is also Norway’s largest defence procurement contract and will see a combined fleet of 13 anti-submarine frigates based on the Type 26 design – eight British and five Norwegian – operate jointly in northern Europe. The programme is also expected to support 432 businesses, including 222 small and medium enterprises, across the UK, including 103 in Scotland, 47 in the northwest of England and 35 in the West Midlands.
Norwegian prime minister Jonas Støre said: “Norway and the UK are close allies, with common interests and strong bilateral ties. I am confident that the strategic partnership with the UK for purchasing, developing and operating frigates is the right decision. This partnership enables Norway to reach the strategic objectives our Parliament set out in the current Long-Term Plan on Defence.” Selecting the UK as partner for frigates was also recommended by Norway’s chief of defence.
Speaking on behalf of the Team UK industry partners, BAE Systems CEO Charles Woodburn said: “The Norwegian Government’s decision reflects its confidence in British industry’s ability to deliver a superior anti-submarine warfare platform, together with systems and equipment, that will support its future maritime security and reinforce its position within NATO.
“The Type 26 features sophisticated weapons, advanced sensors and cutting-edge communications, with a flexible design that enables future upgrades to counter emerging threats.”
