Norway has contracted Salt Ship Design and Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace for the design and concept development of a new standardized vessel class for the Norwegian Armed Forces.
Up to 28 vessels will be developed under the contract in two variants — ocean-going and coastal platforms.
The new class will replace a fleet comprising more than 10 existing vessel types, including smaller patrol craft, minehunters, light corvettes, and other auxiliary ships, streamlining operations, enhancing operational flexibility, and extending overall service.
The construction contract is planned for 2027, with the first delivery expected in 2030.
“This marks an important step forward for Kongsberg and the Norwegian defense and maritime industry, and we look forward to contributing our expertise and technology to develop the standardised vessels of the future in Norway and internationally,” President of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, Eirik Lie, said.
“A standardised fleet based on Kongsberg and SALT’s expertise, in support of the Armed Forces and NDMA, will simplify maintenance, reduce costs and ensure more efficient operations for the Navy.”
Futuristic Design
Eleven design houses competed for the contract, with six shortlisted and three submitting final bids. Salt and Kongsberg’s proposal was selected based on competence, execution capability, technical maturity, and price.
According to the Norwegian procurement agency, the vessels will leverage civilian standards and commercially available technologies while enabling modular solutions, interoperability with autonomous systems, and high operational flexibility.
The selected companies will work with the agency and the Norwegian Armed Forces to develop a complete and neutral technical baseline, forming the foundation for a shipbuilding competition planned to begin in 2026.
International Standard Class
The program is also expected to facilitate the establishment of an international class of standardized vessels, with Norwegian authorities already engaged in agreements with the UK and Lithuania for potential delivery.
In addition, Kongsberg and Salt, alongside Adaptive Marine Solutions, have won a contract to design new vessels for the Canadian Coast Guard under Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy.
