Breaking news
Norway MoD Shortlisted TKMS and DCNS for Ula-class SSK Submarine Replacement.
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TKMS Type 212A SSK scale model at MSPO 2015 |
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- It is
important to emphasise that we are still in the planning phase, and we
have yet to make a decision to go ahead with a procurement program, nor
have we made a decision regarding a final supplier. Significant work remains
before a procurement program can be presented to the Norwegian Parliament,
says the Minister of Defence. The Ministry of Defence has for several years worked to achieve cooperation with other nations with the aim of reducing the acquisition costs and in-service costs for future submarines. In parallel with work towards the shipyards, the process of seeking cooperation with non-submarine building nations planning a submarine acquisition will continue, primarily towards the Netherlands and Poland. Cooperation is very important to secure a robust capability and enable burden sharing on in- service support and future upgrades. Several factors must be in place for such a cooperation to succeed. This includes having a common set of requirements and synchronised timelines for acquisition. The cooperating nations will also have to seek common solutions in the areas of logistics and in-service support. Norway’s six Ula-class submarines were commissioned between 1989-1992. The submarines were designed to last for 30 years, and will reach the end of their life in the mid-2020s. |
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DCNS Scorpene "evolution" SSK scale model at UDT 2015 |
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The current
plans are to operate the Ula-class until the mid-2020s. A procurement
program for new submarines is expected to take more than ten years with
first delivery approximately seven years after signing a contract, with
subsequent delivery of one submarine per year. Norwegian industry is world leading in key technology areas for submarines, and the Norwegian Government will seek to utilize the planned submarine procurement to help strengthen their market access. Export and international cooperation is necessary to maintain a viable national defence industry, and an investment in submarines will be used actively in talks with international partners to help ensure the continued development of a competent and competitive Norwegian defence industry. The Norwegian Parliament expects that a potential future procurement will ensure contracts for Norwegian defence industry equal to the procurement cost, and that these contracts will provide access to the home market of the chosen supplier. |
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