The Norwegian government has made a landmark decision in its naval modernization strategy by choosing the United Kingdom as its key partner for the acquisition of new frigates. This is not just another procurement deal: It is the single largest defense investment Norway has ever undertaken, and it signals a significant deepening of ties between the two countries. For Britain, this deal represents a rare and highly symbolic win in the competitive global arms market, giving fresh energy to its shipbuilding industry and defense exports.

By any measure, the Norwegian decision to order at least five Type 26 frigates is a historic moment. In terms of scale, cost, and military capability, it is the largest order for British-built warships since World War II. For BAE Systems, the prime contractor, and for the wider British defense supply chain, this £10 billion deal is a transformative project. Shipyards in Govan and Scotstoun on the Clyde will take the lead, but hundreds of subcontractors across the United Kingdom will also benefit from the workload.

In November 2024, Norway narrowed down its choices to four potential partners for the development of its next-generation frigates. The four contenders were impressive: the French FDI, the German F127, the American Constellation-class, and the British Type 26. After a lengthy evaluation process, the United Kingdom emerged as the winner, meaning Norway will soon become the fourth country to adopt the Type 26 family of frigates. While the Australian and Canadian export variants retain roughly 70 percent commonality, the Norwegian ships will be identical copies of the Royal Navy’s City-class variant, with delivery scheduled to begin in 2030.

The Ships

The Type 26 has been designed from the start with one mission in mind: countering Russian submarines in the North Atlantic. It combines world-leading acoustic detection systems with a hull design that dramatically reduces noise. The ship borrows design lessons from nuclear submarine construction, with all of its systems either designed for low noise or mounted in acoustic isolation. The result is a frigate that moves through water with minimal detectable signature, making it the predator rather than the prey in the underwater “cat and mouse” game.

Operating in the High North is no small feat. The region is infamous for freezing waters, punishing storms, and heavy seas. The Type 26 has been built for precisely these kinds of environments. It is large, stable, and durable, with the endurance needed for long deployments in hostile conditions. While comfort is not usually the first thing people associate with warships, sailors know how much difference it makes. Compared to the cramped spaces of the older Type 23 frigates, the Type 26 offers improved living quarters, reducing crew fatigue during extended missions and helping sustain high readiness levels.

But beyond stealth and endurance, what sets the Type 26 apart is its digital brain: the combat system. Historically, British warships were fitted with fragmented systems—each sensor or weapon operated on its own hardware and software, often with clunky interfaces. This was inefficient and difficult to maintain. The Type 26, by contrast, runs on a common digital architecture known as Shared Infrastructure Version 4. This is essentially a standardized computing environment that allows for seamless integration of sensors, weapons, and new applications. Every console on the ship is interchangeable, simplifying training and reducing costs. More importantly, it introduces a kind of “app store” model for defense software. Just as our cellphones can download new apps, the Type 26 can be upgraded quickly with new capabilities through modular software, without needing a hardware overhaul. This approach makes the ship future-proof and adaptable to evolving threats.

Cooperation

Norway and the United Kingdom share a long history of naval cooperation, going all the way back to World War II. After the war, the Royal Norwegian Navy was built to be heavily influenced by British doctrines and operational concepts, so the current deal is in many ways a continuation of an old partnership.

A central part of the agreement is industrial cooperation. The United Kingdom has pledged to ensure Norwegian companies will receive contracts equivalent in value to the total cost of the acquisition. In other words, for every pound Norway spends on the frigates, a pound will flow back into Norwegian industry through subcontracting, joint ventures, or technology partnerships. This creates long-term interdependence between the two nations’ defense sectors, to their mutual benefit.

With the Norwegian and British frigates being nearly identical, joint missions will become far easier. Maintenance costs will be reduced thanks to shared spare parts and technical standards, and the potential even exists for shared training programs or crew exchanges. This is interoperability taken to the next level—two navies being able to plug into each other’s systems as if they were extensions of the same fleet.

One unresolved issue is the choice of helicopter. The frigates will be equipped to operate anti-submarine helicopters, but Norway has yet to decide which to choose, or whether to add in uncrewed systems. Given that helicopters are a crucial part of the ship’s submarine-hunting capability, this decision will be closely watched. Regardless, the joint framework agreement is set to be finalized soon, after which Norway and the United Kingdom will move into detailed contract negotiations with BAE Systems, alongside industrial cooperation deals for other sectors.

Can It Be Done?

For the United Kingdom, this deal represents a massive industrial challenge. Building frigates at this scale and pace is not a trivial task. The Ministry of Defence estimates that the Type 26 program will sustain around 4,000 British jobs across 400 companies, including more than 2,000 directly in Glasgow. But keeping up with demand means ramping up production. Currently, BAE delivers one ship every 18 months. By 2030, it will need to be delivering one per year to meet obligations for both the Royal Navy and Norway.

This requires not just more manpower but also more capacity and innovation. BAE has already started preparing: A new covered shipbuilding hall has been constructed at Govan, and an academy has also been opened to train the next generation of shipbuilders, welders, and engineering specialists. The work will likely be spread across multiple sites, with Ferguson Marine, Cammell Laird, and A&P contributing to block construction, and a wide range of other companies down the supply chain will also need to step up.

The challenge is significant, but so is the opportunity. If BAE and its partners can deliver, the Type 26 could become one of Britain’s great postwar industrial success stories—a platform built in the United Kingdom, adopted by allies, and sustained for decades to come. For Norway, the deal ensures access to cutting-edge naval capability while strengthening its security ties with a close partner. For Britain, it secures jobs, exports, and international credibility. Truly a win-win.

Image credit: PA Images via Reuters Connect