Norway to buy five to six UK Type 26 frigates for £10bn

Norway has agreed to buy a fleet of British Type 26 frigates in a deal announced Sunday that Oslo and London said is worth about 10 billion pounds, as the Nordic country moves to strengthen maritime defenses along NATO's northern flank. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said the government plans to acquire five or six frigates, while British officials described the arrangement as supplying at least five ships, with deliveries expected to begin from 2030. The vessels will be built by a BAE Systems-led consortium at shipyards on the River Clyde in Glasgow.

Støre said the purchase responds to what he called Norway's most serious security situation since World War II and reflected both technical and political considerations. "Who is our most strategic partner? And who has delivered the best frigates? The answer to both is the United Kingdom," he said. British Defense Secretary John Healey said the deal deepens the strategic partnership, adding that the navies of both countries "will work as one" to hunt Russian submarines, protect critical infrastructure and keep Europe secure. Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed the contract as a boost to jobs and national security.