GÖTTINGEN, Germany — Norway plans to complete the definition phase for the procurement of new submarines in the first half of this year and may consider a joint purchase with another country.
The Norwegian Ministry of Defense is negotiating at present in dialogue with several different shipyards but has not yet chosen a supplier for new submarines, yet, it stated in a press release. earlier this week.
Norway The Nordic country has to replace its six Ula-class submarines, which that will gradually reach their end of life in the 2020s. According to the release, Norway is also in discussions with several nations working to establish the basis for wards establishing an extensive submarine cooperation. with other nations in order to reduce costs, therefore the MoD Therefore, the Ministry of Defense is in discussions with several different nations with regards to potential submarine cooperation.
Last year, the Norwegian Defense Minister of defence, Ine Eriksen Søreide suggested a joint procurement with Poland during her visit to the MSPO exhibition MSPO in Kielce. Another potential partner is Germany.
According to sources familiar with the subject, beside Germany, South Korea, Italy, Sweden, France and Spain qualify as supplier countries. What speaks for Germany has had is that - in addition to the traditionally close military links with Norway and a of the Norwegian and German submarine forces – its track record of decades-long cooperation in naval construction. Norway's the Ula submarines go back to a German design, while the first four German class-212 A submarines were equipped with a Norwegian battle management system.
And Germany is also home to ThyssenKrupp Marine systems, (TKMS), which is considered a global leader in building non-nuclear submarines.
"Germany is therefore a nation which it is natural for Norway to discuss a potential future submarine cooperation with," the Norwegian MoD writes. Also Industry also will play an important part in a future submarine cooperation, the ministry stressed.
These topics were discussed in early February with German partners in Berlin during a visit of a Norwegian delegation led by Defense State Secretary Øystein Bø and the National Armaments Director Morten Tiller.
Also The German MoD is interested has great interest in cooperating with the Nordic country because as the German Navy plans to purchase two to four new submarines in the second half of the 2020s. coming decade. Since Given the fact that the ministry has classified submarine construction as a key technology, which is to be kept in Germany, shipyard capacity utilization is a necessity. Therefore, the proposal is on the table to combine the construction of four to six Norwegian and boats with the German procurement projects.
To save costs, the German MoD wants to employ a single design for both nation's boats. To check this option, The Norwegian side already has submitted a draft with its their submarine specifications for review to Germany last year.
In case of a joint procurement, Germany wants to function is seeking the role as a lead nation and wants to assume project responsibility, stated the German MoD. To reduce the life-cycle costs, also maintenance and operation also should be managed in cooperation.
And as Gundbert Scherf, responsible for armaments cooperation with foreign countries in the MoD, said several months ago, the German Navy even could imagine a common military submarine command with the Norwegians.
One major hurdle remains: However, there is a significant hurdle that Germany must overcome to enter the business with Oslo: The Norwegians want to open call for an opening of the German defense procurement market to for companies from the Scandinavian country. According to Torbjørn Svensgård, the president of the Norwegian Defence and Security Industry Association, (FsI), it is easier for its member companies to have success in the US market than in the closed European armament markets.
"Norway wants market access in the country, from which we obtain the submarines," he stressed.
Svensgård advised the competing yards not to rely solely on their technical expertise and thus to feel too safe. He pointed to the procurement of the Fridtjof Nansen-class frigates several years ago. While German and British shipyards would have expected to get a contract, the order was finally given to Spain.
"If the prospective suppliers don't listen carefully to the customer and provide a comprehensive response to all requirements, including those related to industrial cooperation, it could end similar when it comes to submarines," he warned.
As Katrin Suder, German secretary of state for armament, earlier in the week said that a procurement of the naval strike missile and the battle management system, (FüWES) – both produced by the Norway's egian company Kongsberg, is "conceivable." The condition for such a deal, however, is a previous tender process. and the winning of the subsequent competition. In case of a jointly developed product between Norway and Germany, this could be obtained without competition, the secretary of state said. It remains to be seen whether this German approach fits the requirements of the Norwegians.
In terms of shaping an industrial cooperation, the Norwegian state has significantly better options than does the German Defense Ministry, MoD, as Norway holds a majority stake in of the publicly listed technology and armaments group Kongsberg, Norway's defense industry leader. the top dog in the Norwegian defense industry.
In contrast, the entire German armaments industry is privately organized, which leaves the German MoD with little direct influence.
Although Norway plans to procure more boats than Germany, the position of Germany as a lead nation in this program seems to be acceptable. At least FsI President Svensgård said he sees no fundamental problems.
"With such arrangementsconstellations, we've had good experiences at US-led projects," he said. Norway participates in the construction and development program for the American F-35 fighter aircraft.
"In the past, it had rather been a problem with European armaments projects, that no one was taking the leadership role," Svensgård said. However, it is important for a lead nation that it is prepared to listen to and accept suggestions, he says. "And of course, the long-term obligations have to be met."
Email: lhoffman@defensenews.com
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