Norway selects UK frigates in €11.5 billion defense deal

Monday 01 September 2025 - 09:30

By: Sahili Aya

Norway selects UK frigates in €11.5 billion defense deal

Norway has chosen to purchase British-built Type 26 frigates in a deal worth around €11.5 billion, marking one of the country’s most significant defense contracts. The decision comes as a blow to France’s Naval Group, which was also competing to supply its own defense and intervention frigates (FDI).

The agreement, announced by Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre in Oslo, will provide at least five ships and is part of a broader strategic partnership with the United Kingdom. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed the deal, noting that it will secure thousands of jobs in the UK, from apprentices to engineers.

Germany and the United States had also been contenders, but the Norwegian government indicated that the British proposal best suited its long-term defense goals, especially given the close cooperation between the British and Norwegian navies within NATO.

The contract still requires approval from the Norwegian Parliament, which will convene after the general elections scheduled for September 8. If confirmed, deliveries of the Type 26 frigates are expected to begin in 2030.

For Naval Group, this marks a second setback in a matter of weeks, after losing a bid for Canadian submarines. Despite the disappointment, the French company emphasized that its FDI frigates remain in service with both the French and Greek navies.

Controversy has also arisen in Norway regarding the inclusion of Israeli-made components in the Type 26 ships, with critics pointing to Norway’s earlier decision to divest from companies linked to the Israeli separation barrier in the West Bank.

The Norwegian government, however, insists that the decision strengthens NATO’s northern flank at a time of heightened tensions in the Arctic and with neighboring Russia.