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Norway Buys British Warships to Help Trap Russian Submarines in the Arctic
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![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
Norway has selected the British-designed Type 26 frigate, developed by BAE Systems, as the next-generation vessel for its navy. The decision follows a competitive tender where the UK bid outperformed France’s lower-cost FDI-class frigates, despite their lower cost.
According to Defense Express on September 1, Oslo will procure at least five Type 26 ships under a program valued at approximately $13.5 billion, marking Norway’s largest investment in maritime security to date. The choice reflects Norway’s strategic position near the bases of Russia’s Northern Fleet.
The Type 26 is a 6,900-ton, 150-meter-long vessel designed for multi-role operations. Its primary armament includes 24 Mk 41 vertical launch cells capable of deploying both air-defense missiles and Tomahawk cruise missiles.
The frigate’s anti-submarine suite features the Thales S2087 (CAPTAS-4) towed sonar, with a detection range of up to 150 kilometers, paired with the Ultra Electronics Type 2150 sonar. Each vessel is also designed to operate an embarked anti-submarine helicopter.
This capability is expected to significantly enhance NATO’s ability to monitor Russian submarine activity in the Arctic and North Atlantic. Together with allied fleets in the United Kingdom and Canada—both of which are also acquiring Type 26 ships—Norwegian vessels will contribute to closing potential escape routes for Russia’s Northern Fleet submarines.
Australia has also ordered six of the frigates, underscoring the design’s global reach.
All five Norwegian frigates will be built in the United Kingdom at BAE Systems’ Clyde shipyard. Unlike Canada’s and Australia’s heavily modified variants, Norway’s ships will closely follow the baseline Type 26 design.
Delivery schedules are set on an ambitious timeline. Norway expects its first vessel in 2029, earlier than Canada’s planned deliveries in the early 2030s and Australia’s target of 2034.
This could align with the handover of HMS Belfast—the third ship in the Royal Navy’s series, currently under construction—or HMS Birmingham, laid down in 2023. BAE Systems has stated it aims to reduce production cycles to about 66 months in the coming years.
Earlier, UK Defence Journal reported that NATO allies are set to spend $1.59 trillion on defense in 2025, with Poland allocating the highest share of GDP at 4.48 percent. The increase reflects growing pressure from the US and mounting threats from Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine.
