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The Norwegian government announced that the choice of frigates has been decided. The British frigate “Type 26” has been chosen. The competition to deliver frigates to the Norwegian Navy has been fierce. Initially, there were 11 alternatives. Of these, 4 good options remained in the final. In addition to the winning British type, Germany, France and the USA all submitted good solutions. The choice of “Type 26” from the UK was based on an overall assessment. Among other things, it was emphasized that strategic cooperation was important.

Joint frigates

The UK is in the process of building its “Type 26” frigates. This is an important point in the overall assessment. Since the Second World War, Norway and the UK have enjoyed close military cooperation. Cooperation has been particularly strong in naval defense. Norway and the UK share an interest in defending the large ocean areas off the coast of Norway. Strategic cooperation will mean that the navies will be even more closely interacted.

In the end, the choice was probably between the British frigate and the French alternative. The Chief of Defense emphasized that all four remaining options were good frigates, but that the choice of the British “Type 26” was the best based on both the criteria of the boat’s quality and the strategic cooperation.

Important in the defense of sea areas

Frigates are very important in the strategically important sea areas in the north. The frigate that was chosen must be particularly good at detecting and neutralizing submarines. This is very important in an area that has the world’s largest naval base just a few kilometers from the Norwegian border. Russia’s build-up of maritime capacity in the area is enormous.

The sea areas are guarded by Norway, the USA, the UK and now also France. In particular, the UK and Norway have an important role here. A common frigate type can make it easier for the ships to cooperate both in missions, but also in the maintenance of the fleet. Norway and the UK have cooperated militarily for several generations, particularly in the defense of northern waters.

Sources:

UKDJ: British Type 26 Frigate wins Norwegian frigate competition

Reuters: Norway selects British-made frigates for its navy, Norwegian government says

Government: Norway to buy British frigates