Frigate, British Type 26, to be chosen for Norway’s navy
Norway has chosen the BAE Systems’ Type 26 design to form the basis of its future frigate programme. The decision, according to UK defence journal, “will shape the Royal Norwegian Navy for decades to come.”
The choice reveals both a need from Norway to restore lost capability, as well as the nation’s determination to secure modern, anti-submarine warfare platforms that can operate “seamlessly” with allies in NATO.
The frigate programme will replace the Fridtjof Nansen-class, a fleet that, the journal says, diminished since the loss of HNoMS Helge Ingstad in 2018. With just four vessels remaining in service, the Nordic nation has faced significant challenges to meet its commitments in the High North and North Atlantic.
With Russian submarines operating from the Kola peninsula and into the Norwegian and Barents Seas, these waters are strategically significant. This creates pressure on NATO’s northern arm. The new frigate will be expected to form the backbone of Oslo’s ability to monitor, deter, and, if needed, counter any undersea activity in the region, one of the most contested waters on the planet.
The Type 26 was designed from the keel up to be a “world-class” anti-submarine vessel. Its acoustic quieting, advanced sensors, and mission flexibility hopes to make it well suited for the environment that the Norwegian navy operates. Displacing around 6,000 tonnes, it will likely provide a balance of endurance, stealth, and potential for growth. Its large mission bay and adaptable design also promises to ensure that it will be capable of integrating emerging technology including uncrewed systems and directed energy weapons.
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Image: Ian Dick from Glasgow, UK
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