Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere, Minister of Defence Tore O. Sandvik, and Chief of Defence General Eirik Kristoffersen talk to the media connected the presumption of the acquisition of British-made frigates, astatine the premier minister's bureau successful Oslo, Norway, connected Aug. 31, 2025.
Rodrigo Freitas | Via Reuters
Norway said connected Sunday it had chosen Britain arsenic its strategical spouse for the acquisition of caller frigates successful its biggest-ever subject investment, successful a woody worthy immoderate 10 cardinal pounds ($13.51 billion) to boost the Nordic country's maritime defense.
Germany, France, Britain and the United States had offered rival frigate designs successful competition.
"The frigates are an indispensable portion of our defence due to the fact that they are cardinal to support our sovereignty," Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere told a property conference.
Norway is NATO's show for the immense 2 cardinal quadrate kilometres (772,000 quadrate miles) country of the North Atlantic utilized by the Russian bluish fleet's atomic submarines.
A cardinal ngo for the frigates volition beryllium to show Russian submarines, whose basal is connected the Kola Peninsula, an country successful the Arctic bordering Norway.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed the deal, which helium said was worthy 10 cardinal pounds.
The woody volition yet spot a combined fleet of 13 anti-submarine warfare frigates – 8 British and astatine slightest 5 Norwegian – run jointly successful bluish Europe, helium added.
British officials, seeking economies of standard for their ain navy and to boost Scotland's shipyard industry, had heavy promoted the BAE Systems' frigates, known arsenic the T-26 City-class.
The woody would enactment 4,000 jobs crossed the United Kingdom, including much than 2,000 successful Scotland, the British authorities said.
Norway shares a borderline with Russia and is ramping up defence spending successful airy of Moscow's penetration of Ukraine and U.S. President Donald Trump's request that NATO allies indispensable bolster their ain subject strength.
The draught statement with Britain besides guarantees concern practice with Norwegian manufacture equivalent to the full worth of the acquisition, the Norwegian authorities said.
Norway, a federation of 5.6 cardinal people, presently operates 4 frigates. It antecedently said it could bid 5 frigates, with an enactment for an further one.
"This volition beryllium the biggest acquisition to date. And we are present entering last declaration negotiations," Gahr Stoere said.
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