BAE Systems selected for multi-billion-dollar Norway ship order

Norway has selected the BAE Systems’ Type 26 anti-submarine frigate under a £10 billion (US$13.5 billion) deal for five ships with an ambitious schedule of first delivery in 2030.

In statement after the announcement, the Norwegian Government said “[the two governments] will soon finalise a binding agreement which sets the framework for the strategic partnership.

“Once the agreement is signed, the two parties will enter into contract negotiations with BAE Systems. In parallel, Norwegian and British authorities will negotiate separate industrial cooperation agreements for various collaborative projects with relevant industrial partners.”

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The selection process has been rapid with Norway only beginning consideration of the final four options in November 2024. The Type 26 was selected over Fincantieri Marine’s Constellation Class FFG(X) which has been selected for the US Navy, TKMS’s MEKO A-400 and Naval Group’s Admiral Ronarc'h Class.

Both countries highlighted the advantages of a single type operating in a combined force in the far North Atlantic ocean, particularly with increased activity from Russia.

Norway’s Defence Minister Tore O Sandvik said: “We have strong shared interests in the North Atlantic. Our armed forces maintains a close cooperation, and with a joint frigate program, we will be able to operate seamlessly and integrated in our joint areas of interest.

“It will also reduce costs and make joint maintenance easier [and] additionally, it opens up the possibility for us to perform joint training of personnel, and perhaps even use Norwegian and British crew interchangeably. This is something we will look into further within the framework of the strategic partnership.”

The UK Government pointed to substantial local industry benefits which will come from the eventual contract, claiming it will support 4,000 jobs across the UK into the 2030s, including more than 2,000 at BAE Systems’ Glasgow shipyards. According to the government, the programme is also expected to support 432 business, including 222 small and medium enterprises.

Commonality expected across fleets

The Norwegian Government said: “The Norwegian and British vessels will be as identical as possible, and have the same technical specifications, but decision on what type of helicopter the Norwegian frigates will be operating has not yet been made.”

The UK RN Type 26s have Sea Ceptor anti-air vertical launch system (VLS) with 48 cells that can fire the Common Anti-air Modular Missile (CAMM) and a 24-cell MK 41 VLS that can fire the Tomahawk land-attack cruise missile, anti-submarine rockets and the Long-Range Anti-Ship Missiles (LRASM). The ships will also be fitted with BAE’s Mk 45 Mod 4 5-inch/62-caliber main gun, two 30mm DS30M Mk 2 cannons, two 20mm Phalanx close-in-weapon systems and two miniguns.

The frigates will feature an integrated mission bay and hangar capable of supporting multiple helicopters, such as two Wildcat or Merlin AW101 helicopters, as well as uncrewed underwater vessels, boats, mission loads and disaster relief stores. A launcher can also be provided for fixed-wing uncrewed aerial vehicles, and the flight deck is capable of landing a Chinook helicopter.

The hope from the Norwegian Government that the first ship will be handed over in 2030 possibly represents a challenging schedule. The first-of-class for the UK RN is expected to be commissioned in 2027 with an initial operating capability of 2028, more than a decade after the keel was laid although this is not strikingly unusual for a type’s first ship.

More notable is fifth of class, HMS Sheffield which was laid down in November 2024 and is expected to be commissioned in 2032, making the Norwegian schedule, with a contract not even signed yet, very difficult to achieve.

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