Lithuania and Norway have signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation regarding the Norwegian standardised vessel programme. The agreement opens the possibility for Lithuania to procure Norwegian-developed vessels for its navy and to participate in the continued development of the programme.
According to a press release from the Norwegian Government, the agreement was signed in connection with the NATO summit on 8 July. The memorandum establishes an intergovernmental framework for continued technical, commercial, and industrial cooperation on standardised vessels.
According to the Norwegian Government, Lithuania regards the programme as its preferred option for replacing parts of the country's naval fleet after 2030. Planning covers four modular vessels with associated module systems.
Norway is simultaneously planning to procure up to 28 standardised vessels to replace several of its current vessel classes.
"Norway wants allied nations to join the project. If several countries use the same vessel type, it can contribute to lower costs and better interoperability, not only during operations but also within training, operations, and maintenance," says Norwegian Defence Minister Tore O. Sandvik in the press release.
According to the Norwegian Government, the programme is built on the principle that the vessels should be "as civilian as possible and as military as necessary." The intention is to keep procurement and operating costs down while meeting operational requirements.
"It is now important to continue the technical, commercial, and industrial work to demonstrate that standardised vessels from Norway are the best choice for Lithuania," says Tore O. Sandvik.
The Lithuanian Ministry of Defence states in a press release that the cooperation will strengthen the country's naval industry. The ambition is for at least 30 per cent of the project's value to be carried out in Lithuania through participation from the national shipbuilding and defence industry. The ministry also emphasises that the memorandum of understanding does not constitute a binding procurement agreement, but lays the foundation for continued technical, industrial, and commercial negotiations.
Nordic Defence Sector reported in April that the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (Forsvarsmateriell) had awarded a contract to a consortium consisting of Salt Ship Design and Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace to develop the design for the new standardised vessel class. That concept design will form the basis for an upcoming shipyard procurement, while Norway has simultaneously announced that the vessel programme will be made available to allied nations.