Norway is investing £10bn to build five British frigates to bolster its fleet in northern Europe to defend against Russian threats at sea. This is reported by Sky News.
Norway’s Ministry of Defense signed a large-scale agreement with Great Britain for the purchase of five modern warships worth 10 billion pounds. These are Type 26 frigates, which are being built in Glasgow. They are designed to counter submarines and strengthen the defense capabilities of NATO’s eastern flank. This order is part of a broader strategy – the creation of a fleet of at least 13 anti-submarine ships in Northern Europe, which will operate in close cooperation with the Allies.
The Minister of Defense of Great Britain, John Geely, called the concluded agreement a “ deepening of the strategic partnership with Norway” and emphasized:
“With Norway, we will train together, act, deter and – if necessary – fight”.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Haar Støre, in turn, said that the country needs new ships, because it is now in the “most serious security situation since the Second World War”. He added that special attention is paid to the protection of submarine cables and critical infrastructure against the background of Russia’s war against Ukraine and its aggressive actions in the region.
In addition to the defense aspect, the agreement also has economic significance: it will save about 2,000 jobs at BAE Systems and about the same number in related industries. British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer stressed that the contract “strengthens national security while creating well-paid jobs from apprentices to engineers.
The Type 26 frigates ordered by Norway are multi-role warships with a primary focus on Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW). They were developed by BAE Systems and are being built in Glasgow.
Type 26s are equipped with modern anti-submarine and anti-air defense systems, have the ability to launch cruise missiles and carry out long-term operations in the open sea. On board there is a hangar and deck for Merlin or Wildcat helicopters, as well as unmanned aerial vehicles.
Frigates are characterized by low noise, which makes them effective in detecting enemy submarines, and at the same time have universal weapons that allow them to be used in various NATO operations. Similar ships have already been ordered by Australia and Canada, which confirms their strategic weight.
