Norway has short-listed two European shipyards, DCNS and TKMS, as possible suppliers of the new submarines it plans to buy to replace its four Ula-class boats. The Netherlands and Poland are named as possible partners in a joint program. (Norway MoD photo)
“France and Germany are among the biggest nations in Europe. A submarine cooperation with one of these will ensure that Norway gets the submarines that we need, while contributing to Smart Defence and to a more efficient armaments cooperation in NATO,” says Defence Minister Ine Eriksen Søreide.
DCNS and TKMS are the largest manufacturers of submarines in Western Europe, they have extensive experience with construction of advanced submarines, and they also have a large industrial capacity. The submarines offered by these companies will be a good base for Norway's future submarine capability.
“Norway's approach is to base a possible acquisition of an existing submarine design. We thus avoiding an extensive development with the uncertainties and costs it may incur. Our criteria is therefore that the submarines will be built at a shipyard which has long and continuous experience in building submarines,” said the defense minister.
The government decided in autumn 2014 that the Defense Ministry should consider a new acquisition of submarines to replace the Ula class. The Ministry of Defence has now come a long way in this paper. During 2016 it is planned to finalize a recommendation on the future submarine capability. Then, any investment project be submitted for Parliament's approval.
“I emphasize that we are still at the planning stage and that a decision on the acquisition or choice of supplier is not yet taken. There are still a lot of work before any investment project may be submitted to parliament,” said the defense minister.
The Ministry of Defence has in recent years worked to establish extensive submarine cooperation with other countries, including with a view to reduce the cost of acquisition and operation of its own submarines. In parallel with efforts to select shipyards, it also is seeking cooperation with other nations that plan to acquire submarines, even though they no longer build any. In the first instance, the Netherlands and Poland.
Collaboration is important to ensure that we provide a robust capability that we are not alone to maintain and update in the future. In order to achieve such cooperation, several conditions must be met. It requires, for example, similar specifications and that nations have similar acquisition schedules. Nations must also seek common solutions for logistics and through-life support.
Norway's six submarines of the Ula class were phased in from 1989 to 1992. These submarines are designed for a lifetime of 30 years, and they will be phased out in the 2020s.
Under current plans, the Armed Forces will be able to keep the Ula Class sailing until the mid-2020s. A possible acquisition of new submarines will require at least a decade, ie about seven years after the order for the delivery of the first submarine, with subsequent boats delivered at a rate of one every year.
Norwegian companies are world leaders in some of the technologies used in submarines, and the government will use the acquisition as a catalyst to ensure Norwegian defense industry is supported on international markets.
Exports and international cooperation are prerequisites for maintaining a national defense industry. Any acquisition of new submarines will therefore be actively used with international partners to develop a competent and competitive Norwegian defense industry.
Parliament has provided that the acquisition of new submarines ensures industrial agreements with the ambition that the agreements shall ensure contracts for Norwegian industry to a value that corresponds to their acquisition cost.
Parliament considers that a submarine acquisition ensures good industrial agreements that guarantee market access for Norwegian defense industry.
-ends-
from Defense Aerospace - Press releases http://ift.tt/1SSjgdq
via Defense
No comments: