The Norwegian company Kongsberg Maritime is participating in the pre-qualification phase of a national competition to develop new standardized warships for the Norwegian Navy.
The Kongsberg-based company has now announced that it is taking part in the process with the project name “P1118”. The aim of the competition is to develop the design and concept for a new generation of ships, which could comprise up to 28 units in the future.
The competition was announced by the Norwegian Defense Materiel Agency, the central procurement agency of the Norwegian Ministry of Defense. With this project, the navy is pursuing the goal of developing a largely standardized platform for various tasks, thereby reducing both procurement and operating costs.
Upcoming IPO
According to Kongsberg Maritime, the company is entering the market with its complete product portfolio. This ranges from ship design, integrated bridge and propulsion systems to comprehensive automation and sensor systems for military units. The company sees its participation in the competition as a strategic signal of its commitment to the marine segment, also in light of the planned spin-off from the Kongsberg Group and the upcoming IPO as an independent company. The spin-off from Kongsberg Gruppen and the IPO on the Oslo Stock Exchange are scheduled for April 23.
Kongsberg Maritime aims to continue and expand its long-standing cooperation with the Royal Norwegian Navy. The company refers to its industrial experience in civil and military shipbuilding. According to Kongsberg Maritime, it has delivered complete designs for more than 1,000 vessels over the past decades and provided key maritime technologies for ships operating in demanding conditions.
Kongsberg already central system supplier for other “gray” series
Kongsberg Maritime is currently involved in the Type 26 frigates of the British, Canadian, Australian and Norwegian navies as a central systems supplier. The company supplies several safety- and mission-critical maritime systems. In addition, Kongsberg Maritime says it has mature solutions for naval and coast guard vessels and has installed systems on more than 900 military units worldwide.
In addition to the national significance of the project, Kongsberg Maritime also sees economic potential for the entire Norwegian maritime sector. A successful standardization concept could therefore serve as a basis for export projects and strengthen the international competitiveness of the Norwegian maritime cluster.
Kongsberg Maritime employs more than 8,000 people worldwide, including around 3,500 in Norway. The company’s technology is used on more than 30,000 ships.
