The Norwegian Navy will nearly double its assets in a massive upgrade aimed at deterring threats to Norwegian waters and territory. Above, a Nansen-class frigate patrols Norwegian waters. NORWEGIAN NAVY
THE WATCH STAFF
The Norwegian Navy will be getting a major upgrade as a substantial midyear budget increase envisions dozens of new ships, air defense systems and helicopters that will allow the Nordic country to better patrol its Arctic territory and defend against threats. “We must be able to safeguard our maritime interests on an independent basis,” Navy Chief Oliver Berdal told the High North News, a Norwegian newspaper.
Berdal said the government’s investment in its naval forces will pay off with greater operability in a nation with the world’s second-largest coastline and strategic position astride the Norwegian and Barents seas. “The government proposes a significant strengthening of the Navy. The fleet will be modernized and renewed, increasing the number of vessels. This will enhance presence along the world’s second longest coastline and in the large and important surrounding ocean areas,” Berdal told the newspaper. “The majority of today’s patrol operations, with Coast Guard vessels, for example, is in the North. This will continue, and with a gradually increased number of vessels in both the Coast Guard and the Navy, we will have an even better presence and situational awareness.”
The Norwegian defense plan calls for five frigates capable of carrying anti-submarine helicopters, as many as 10 large and 18 smaller vessels for both the Navy and Coast Guard, and at least five new submarines, four of which are under construction in Germany and due to be in service by 2029. Finally, the Coast Guard plans to add five high-speed ships to its fleet, a major upgrade for Norway’s Coastal Ranger Command, according to the Norwegian government.
That will be an enormous change from the current roster of naval assets, the newspaper reported. The Norwegian Navy currently has four frigates, six submarines, six corvettes and five minesweeping vessels. The Coastal Ranger Command has 14 vessels, the High North News reported. Norway is Russia’s closest neighbor in northern waters and operates in the same oceans.
“We must be able to safeguard our maritime interests on an independent basis, while at the same time being able to operate together with allies,” Berdal told the newspaper. “Patrolling with Norwegian Coast Guard and Navy vessels in the Barents Sea is completely natural and necessary. If we had to leave this form of patrolling mostly to others, it could create a poorer situational awareness and challenges that go against the low tension we desire in the High North.”
In April 2024, Norway released its 12-year defense plan, which called for doubling the defense budget by 2036. Increasing the Army from one to three brigades and expanding the Home Guard to 45,000 Soldiers were among the major changes announced. The plan also envisions new frigates, submarines and other vessels and Norway’s first long-range air defense system, according to a government news release.
“The modernization of the Norwegian Navy’s surface structure is central to our defense capability. The new fleet plan provides a long-term perspective and predictability for the development of the Navy. Standardization will provide increased availability and more efficient maintenance of new vessels,” Norway’s Chief of Defence Gen. Eirik Kristoffersen said, according to a news release.