Navantia, Kongsberg join forces to support Norwegian Navy’s F-310 frigates

Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (Kongsberg) and Navantia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore potential mutual collaboration and future modernization of the Royal Norwegian Navy F-310 (Fridtjof Nansen-class) frigates.

Under the agreement, the partners will evaluate ways of joint collaboration in the future support of the frigates’ modernization and with the ultimate goal of providing “the best solutions to the Norwegian Armed Forces“.

The Fridtjof  Nansen-class frigates, delivered between 2006 and 2011, were designed and built by Navantia for the Norwegian Navy. Navantia has been supporting the Norwegian Navy since 2013 in the sustainment and maintenance of the frigates.

Kongsberg was one of the main subcontractors of such Nansen Class Frigate Program and supplied the national parts of the combat system: anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare systems based on the company’s combat management system architecture as well as the navigations system.

The frigates were intended to replace the aging Oslo-class frigates, with a primary focus on anti-submarine warfare. The 4,600-ton ships have five decks and two superstructures. They feature Naval Strike Missile surface-to-surface missile system produced by Kongsberg.

The Norwegian Navy currently operates four multi-role Fridtjof Nansen-class frigates that were commissioned into the navy between 2006 and 2011. The frigates are named after the Norwegian explorer and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Fridtjof Nansen.