UK frigates to boost Norway’s navy in $20 billion deal
Norway has chosen England as a strategic partner for the acquisition of new frigates with an agreement worth $ 13,51 billion (A20.66 billion dollars) to increase the maritime defense of the Scandinavian country.
Germany, France, England and the United States had presented rival frigate designs in competition.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere told journalists on Sunday, “The frigates are an important part of our defense, because the keys to defend our sovereignty,” he said.
Norway is the monitor of NATO for the large two million -kilometer large region of the North Atlantic, which is used by the nuclear submarines of the Russian Northern Fleet.
An important task for the frigates will be to watch Russian submarines on the Kola Peninsula, a space on the Norwegian border in the North Pole.
Authorized British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, eventually, eight British and at least five Norwegian-15 Submarine warfare of war frigate welcomed the agreement that would see a combined fleet.
British authorities, looking for scale economies for their own navy and increased the Shipyard industry of Scotland, heavily introduced the frigates of the UAE systems known as the T-26 city class.
The British government said the agreement would support 4000 jobs in the UK, including more than 2000 people in Scotland.
Norway shares a border with Russia and increases defense expenditures in the light of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine and US President Donald Trump’s NATO allies should support their military forces.
The Norwegian government said that the draft agreement with the UK guarantees the total value of the Norwegian industry and the total value of the acquisition.
Norway, a country of 5.6 million people, is currently running four frigates.
Previously, he said he could order five frigates with an additional option.
“This will be the biggest purchase to date. And now we are entering the final contract negotiations,” Gahr Stoee said.
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