Norway and UK plan joint acquisition of up to 30 new Joint Commando Craft

Surveying the market

As part of the work, Norway and the UK have sent out a Request for Information (RFI), which is a market survey. The purpose is to gain a better overview of the market, current suppliers, technical solutions, price levels and possible delivery times. 

The RFI will also provide insight into national and international design alternatives, as well as the production capacity at Norwegian shipyards, as the vessels are planned to be built in Norway. 

This is an important step in the early phase of the program and will provide the parties with a better basis for further assessments. 

“The issuance of the Request for Information is an important step forward for the Joint Commando Craft project, as we now consider possible solutions for this important capability,” says Lieutenant Colonel Rob Ginn from the Commando Force Programme. 

He emphasizes that the initiative is also an expression of the increasingly close cooperation between Norway and the United Kingdom, and especially between the specialized command departments that constitute an important part of the countries’ overall security. 

Part of a broader defense cooperation

The cooperation on Joint Commando Craft is part of the broader defense cooperation between Norway and the United Kingdom under the Lunna House Agreement, which was signed in December. 

The agreement facilitates further development of the countries’ joint military capabilities, including through cooperation on weapons, unmanned mine-hunting and underwater warfare systems, autonomous vessels, and interoperability between future maritime capabilities. 

At the same time, the agreement clarifies the UK’s commitment to contributing to security and defence in regions of great strategic importance to both countries, including the North Atlantic and the Arctic. 

– End –