The Norwegian Defence Materiel Administration (FMA) has awarded a contract to the consortium formed by Salt Ship Design and Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace (Salt & KDA) for the design and concept development of the Norwegian Armed Forces’ new standardized vessel class. The contract marks an important milestone in the development of future maritime capabilities for the Royal Norwegian Navy.
Norwegian Defence Materiel Administration press release – Translated by Naval News
Standardized vessels are one of the most extensive maritime development and new acquisition projects in the defense sector, and a central part of the Armed Forces’ Long-Term Plan and the Fleet Plan 2024. The goal is to develop a new class of vessels in two sizes, ocean-going and coastal platforms, which will cover large parts of the needs of both the Navy and the Coast Guard.
“In the updated long-term plan, the government maintains its commitment to the Navy. Norway needs a modern and robust naval defense, which can meet an increasingly complex threat landscape. Therefore, this contract is one of the important milestones for the acquisition of a new standardized vessel class. The fact that we are developing these vessels in Norway is an investment in security and preparedness, and at the same time we are using our national industry, which is a world leader in this area. The vessels will also be sold to our allies, which provides great opportunities for Norwegian industry. This contract brings us an important step forward in the acquisition”, says State Secretary Marte Gerhardsen.
A design for the future
The vessels will be based to the greatest extent possible on civilian standards and commercially available technology, following the principle of “as civilian as possible, as military as necessary”. At the same time, they will facilitate modular solutions, interoperability with autonomous systems and high operational flexibility.
The first vessel is planned to be delivered in 2030.
Eleven design houses participated in the qualification, of which six were invited to proceed. Three suppliers submitted final offers. After an overall assessment of competence, implementation capability, technical maturity and price, Salt & KDA was considered the best offerer to produce the design.
The competition has been conducted as a national competition, among other things for reasons of preparedness, security of supply and the need to further develop Norwegian expertise.
“The award marks an important step in the development of future maritime capacity. The supplier will, in close collaboration with Defence Materiel and the Norwegian Armed Forces, develop a complete and neutral technical basis that will be the foundation for the upcoming shipbuilding competition. The timeline is tight, and that is precisely why the expertise and capacity of Salt & KDA are crucial”, says Director of Defence Materiel, Gro Jære.
She also highlights the strong competition in procurement.
“We would also like to thank all the providers who have participated. All of them have shown why Norway is a world leader in the development of advanced vessel designs.“
The foundation for the next phase
The contract includes the development of a complete concept design that will form the technical basis for the shipbuilding competition planned to start in 2026.
A key principle is that the design should be neutral and accessible to all providers in the next phase. Therefore, strict requirements are set for independence, equal treatment and handling of any conflicts of interest.
Although the contract has a limited economic value, its strategic importance is high. It sets the stage for one of the Norwegian Armed Forces’ largest maritime investments in the coming decades, and will also contribute to strengthening Norwegian industrial capacity and expertise. The design phase that is now being initiated will be crucial to ensure the right balance between operational needs, technology and cost before construction of the vessels begins.
Tight schedule
The project follows an ambitious schedule:
Completion of requirements specification and reference design: by the end of 2026
Shipbuilding competition: fall 2026 – spring 2027
Planned construction contract: from 2027
First vessel: delivery in 2030
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Source:
www.navalnews.com
