Diplomat Foreign Correspondent
OSLO:DD, The Norwegian Government has selected the United Kingdom as its strategic partner for the acquisition of new frigates. The purchase of the British frigates will be the largest single investment in Norwegian defence capabilities to date.
‘Norway and the United Kingdom are close allies, with common interests and strong bilateral ties. I am confident that the decision to enter into a strategic partnership with the UK on purchasing, developing and operating frigates is the right one. This partnership will enable Norway to achieve the strategic objectives of the current Long-term Defence Plan, as agreed by the Storting,’ said Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.
In connection with the adoption of the Long-term Defence Plan, the Storting (Norwegian parliament) unanimously decided that Norway should select a strategic partner for the acquisition of new frigates as quickly as possible. It is this decision that is now being followed up by the Government. The Storting’s Enlarged Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence has been consulted. Delivery of the British Type 26 frigates to Norway is due to start in 2030.
‘The choice of the UK as our strategic partner for the acquisition of new frigates is also in line with the Chief of Defence’s recommendation. This partnership represents a historic strengthening of the defence cooperation between our two countries,’ said Mr Støre.
The Norwegian authorities have been assessing the possibility of a strategic partnership on the acquisition of new frigates with either France, Germany, the US or the UK since November last year.
‘This has been a difficult choice. The four candidates – France, Germany, the US and the UK – have submitted strong, competitive proposals. They are all close allies, and I would like to thank them for a constructive process and dialogue. All four countries are strategic partners for Norway, and we will continue to work to further develop our already wide-ranging security and defence cooperation with all of them,’ said Støre.
A stronger strategic partnership
A long-term, strategic partnership on frigates will require broad, close cooperation in the time ahead.
‘We will work together to procure frigates for the British Royal Navy and the Royal Norwegian Navy. We will operate and further develop the frigates over the coming decades. This will strengthen both our ability and NATO’s ability to patrol and protect the maritime areas in the High North. This is of crucial importance to Norwegian, UK and Allied security in these times of global instability,’ said Mr Støre.
Norway and the UK already enjoy close, longstanding ties. The Norwegian Navy operated British vessels during World War II, and since then has largely been developed on the basis of British doctrines, tactics and operational concepts.
‘We have strong shared interests in the North Atlantic. Our Armed Forces already cooperate very closely, and this new frigate partnership will enable us to operate in a more seamless, integrated manner in our joint areas of interest,’ said Minister of Defence Tore O. Sandvik.
Extensive industrial cooperation
The strategic partnership with the UK will also open up opportunities for extensive industrial cooperation. The draft agreement between the two countries includes a guarantee of UK industrial cooperation with Norwegian industry equivalent to the total value of the acquisition.
‘This is good for Norwegian industry and Norwegian jobs. Norwegian companies will have a vital role to play, especially in maintaining and keeping the vessels up to date. We have also identified a wide range of industrial and technological areas of cooperation where Norwegian companies can compete for contracts,’ said Mr Støre.
Ships for anti-submarine operations
The British Type 26 frigates are warships specifically designed to detect, track and combat submarines. The Norwegian and British vessels will be as identical as possible, and will have the same technical specifications.
‘Having identical vessels will enable us to operate even more efficiently together on challenging missions. It will also reduce costs and make joint maintenance easier. In addition, it will make it possible for us to carry out joint training of personnel, and perhaps even use Norwegian and British crew interchangeably. This is something we will explore further within the framework of the strategic partnership,’ said Sandvik.
The Norwegian frigates will be equipped with anti-submarine helicopters. The specific type of helicopter the Norwegian frigates will be operating has not yet been determined.
‘The Norwegian frigates will be equipped with helicopters with anti-submarine capabilities. At the same time, we must be prepared to adapt to rapid technological developments and explore the possibilities for using unmanned platforms. This is something we will discuss further with our British partners,’ said Sandvik.
Intergovernmental agreement
The Norwegian and UK Governments will soon finalise a binding agreement establishing the framework for the strategic partnership. Once the agreement has been signed, the two parties will enter into contract negotiations with the main British supplier, BAE Systems.
In parallel, the Norwegian and UK authorities will negotiate separate industrial cooperation agreements for various collaborative projects with relevant industrial partners.
‘Our top priority now is to finalise the intergovernmental agreement as soon as we can. Then we will move forward with contract negotiations. We will, among other things, negotiate on the price and delivery schedule for the vessels, before submitting an investment decision to the Storting,’ said Mr Sandvik. (press release)
