Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace and Salt Ship Design have been appointed by the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency to create a preliminary design for a novel category of uniform maritime craft, the firms announced.
This initiative seeks to transform Norway’s naval configuration, substituting over ten current vessel types with fewer consistent models to streamline upkeep, decrease expenditures, and boost operational versatility, the enterprise reported.
“A uniform flotilla leveraging KONGSBERG and SALT’s proficiency… will streamline upkeep, diminish expenses, and guarantee more effective deployments for the Navy,” commented Eirik Lie, President at Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace.
This agreement stems from a pre-selection procedure initiated in January, encompassing as many as 28 vessels, with the successful consortium now charged with devising a shared design blueprint that could support both domestic and international ventures.
Kongsberg and SALT stated that this endeavor might establish the groundwork for an “international category” of ships, as Norway aims to more closely harmonize upcoming acquisitions with its allied nations.
The government of Norway has suggested that provisions might reach beyond its own naval forces, potentially incorporating collaboration with the United Kingdom, asserting that “the provision of uniform vessels to the United Kingdom is an element of the strategic accord linked to the Norwegian frigate acquisition.”
Accords have also been established with Lithuania, concurrently, the firms recently obtained a distinct agreement, together with Adaptive Marine Solutions, to conceive fresh craft for the Canadian Coast Guard.
“This signifies a crucial progression… and we are eager to lend our proficiency and innovations to forge the future’s uniform vessels both in Norway and globally,” Lie affirmed.