Oslo
Reuters
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Norway said on Sunday it chose Britain as its strategic partner to acquire the New Frigate with its biggest military investment in history, in a deal worth around £10 billion ($135.1 billion) to boost Nordic maritime defense.
Germany, France, the UK and the US offered rival frigate designs in the competition. “The frigates are an important part of our defense as they are key to protecting our sovereignty,” Prime Minister Jonas Gar Stole told a news conference.
Norway is a NATO monitor for a vast 2 million square kilometers (772,000 square miles) region of the North Atlantic Ocean used by nuclear submarines of the Russian North Fleet.
The frigate’s important mission is to monitor Russian submarines on the Kora Peninsula, an Arctic region adjacent to Norway.
British Prime Minister Kiel Starmer welcomed the deal. He said it was worth £10 billion. The deal ultimately leads to 13 anti-submarine warfare frigates (eight British and at least five Norwegians) being jointly operated in Northern Europe, he added.
British officials have sought an economies of scale for their own navy and have significantly promoted the frigates of the BAE Systems, known as the T-26 City Class, to boost the Scottish shipyard industry.
The deal will support 4,000 jobs across the UK, including more than 2,000 in Scotland, the UK government said.
Norway shares its border with Russia, increasing its defense spending in light of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine and President Donald Trump’s demand that NATO allies must strengthen their military strength.
The draft agreement with the UK also guarantees industrial cooperation with the Norwegian industry, which is equivalent to the total value of the acquisition, the Norwegian government said.
Norway, a country of 5.6 million people, currently operates four frigates. Previously, they said they could order five frigates.
“This will be the biggest purchase ever, and we are currently in the final contract negotiations,” Girl Stole said.
