Norway, UK, and Lithuania announce joint maritime defense program

Norway has unveiled Project P1118, a major maritime defense program aimed at acquiring up to 20 standardized vessels. The initiative involves a collaborative procurement effort with the United Kingdom and Lithuania to modernize naval and coast guard capabilities.

The program plans to distribute the vessels among the three nations: Norway intends to acquire approximately six vessels for its Coast Guard and up to four for its Navy. The United Kingdom is slated to receive six vessels, while Lithuania is expected to receive up to four. The ships for the UK and Lithuania will utilize a shared core naval platform design.

To foster competition and mitigate execution risks, the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (FMA) will split the procurement into two separate contracts. One contract will focus on up to 14 vessels for the navies of the three participating countries, while the second will cover up to six vessels for the Norwegian Coast Guard. Production contracts are expected to be awarded in 2027, with the first deliveries projected by the end of the decade.