Lockheed Martin marked a milestone in the Norwegian Navy New Frigate program with completion of the
Critical Design Review for the Integrated Weapon System. As a result of the
successful review, the Royal Norwegian Navy authorized Lockheed Martin Naval Electronics and Surveillance Systems of Moorestown, N.J., and Lockheed Martin Overseas Corporation to commence detailed design of the Integrated Weapons
System (IWS).
The IWS includes the full complement of ship sensors, weapons, computing suite and communications equipment designed to give the Nansen-class frigates advanced anti-submarine, anti-surface and anti-air capabilities. Based on the U.S. Navy's Aegis combat system, the IWS also will support interoperability of
Norwegian Navy ships with those of the United States and other users of the Aegis system.
Lockheed Martin is developing the IWS for five new Norwegian frigates being built by the Spanish shipbuilder IZAR Construcciones Navales, SA.
Headquartered in Madrid, Spain, IZAR will construct the new frigates at its Ferrol, Spain facility. Delivery of the first frigate is scheduled for 2005.
Also participating in the Critical Design Review was Lockheed Martin supplier Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace (KDA) of Kongsberg, Norway. Procurement of this total integrated weapon system is a first for the Royal Norwegian Navy, and the second sale of Aegis technology to a European Navy. The first sale was to the Spanish Navy for installation aboard four F 100 frigates. Employing the SPY-1F phased array radar and Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile system, the Norwegian Nansen-class
frigate will offer the world's most
advanced anti-air warfare system on a 5,000-ton platform, which is also capable of accommodating a helicopter.