Norway has awarded Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace a contract worth roughly 400 million Norwegian krone ($42 million) to modernize the combat systems of the Royal Norwegian Navy’s Skjold-class fast attack craft.
The agreement focuses on upgrading core combat system components and improving the vessels’ technical readiness. It builds on an earlier modernization contract signed in 2022 and forms part of a broader life-extension effort for the Skjold fleet, which has been operational since 1999.
Planned enhancements include upgraded fire-control radars and new electro-optical sensors on four vessels, strengthening their ability to detect and track small, high-speed threats such as drones, while maintaining accurate fire from the 76mm naval guns. Work will begin immediately, with the first upgraded ship scheduled for delivery in 2026.
Designed primarily for patrol duties in Norway’s territorial waters and exclusive economic zone, the 47-meter Skjold vessels conduct surveillance, search and rescue, anti-smuggling missions, and environmental monitoring in peacetime. During crises or conflict, their roles expand to include maritime area control, intelligence gathering, boarding operations, anti-surface warfare, convoy escort, and counter-invasion missions alongside joint and naval forces.
Each craft measures 47 meters in length with a 13.5-meter beam and displaces 260 tonnes. It can reach speeds of up to 105 kilometers per hour, sustain 85 kilometers per hour in Sea State 4, and operate with a crew of 15. At a cruising speed of 74 kilometers per hour, the vessel has a range of approximately 1,480 kilometers. Armament includes eight Naval Strike Missiles with a range beyond 150 kilometers, a portable Mistral short-range surface-to-air missile system, and a 76mm Oto Melara Super Rapid gun.
