Kongsberg proposal for Norway’s Standard class.

Norway has begun a program to replace “smaller patrol craft, minehunters, light corvettes, and other auxiliaries, spread out over twelve different classes” with two “Standard” classes for both their Navy and Coast Guard.  My guess is that five of the 18 “medium” size and five of the ten “offshore” vessels will go to the Norwegian Coast Guard which is a branch of the Norwegian Navy.

“The standardised vessels dedicated for Coastguard work will have certain modifications, but will also be capable of embarking the modular systems used by the Navy.”

We have two reports from Naval News, apparently news releases from two of the shipbuilders competing for the contract(s). The Ulstein report is much more detailed and is quoted above.

• Kongsberg Maritime Participates in Competition For New Standardised Vessels for Royal Norwegian Navy
• Ulstein unveils designs for new standardised vessels for Royal Norwegian Navy

Artist impressions of ULSTEIN’ standard-class designs proposal to the Royal Norwegian Navy. Ulstein image.

Artist impressions of ULSTEIN’ standard-class design proposal to the Royal Norwegian Navy. Ulstein image.

This project is interesting as a joint navy/coast guard project, as a modular systems project, and as a exploitation of what looks to be designs based on offshore industry support ships.

If you were reading this blog back in 2012, you might remember that a Ulstein design offered by Vigor was one of the contenders for the OPC contract.

Vigor’s Ulstein OPC proposal.