Norway’s Joint Submarine Plan
Norway is seeking partner countries for future submarine project in order to reduce cost and secure a robust submarine capability for the future, reports UPI.
The current Norwegian Ula-class submarines will gradually reach their end-of-life in the 2020s. The Ministry of Defence is currently leading the work looking at procurement of new submarines.
Ministry of Defense says: "The project is in its definition phase. This phase will be completed in the first half of 2016, when the external quality review is completed."
The replacement submarines will be based on an existing design to circumvent an extensive development process with all its attendant cost and technical uncertainties, and they will be built by an experienced shipyard.
The MoD has not chosen a supplier for new submarines, and is at present in dialogue with several different shipyards. It is therefore important to inform all parties as equally as possible.
Norway and Germany already have collaborated on submarines in the past, so "Germany is therefore a nation which it is natural for Norway to discuss a potential future submarine cooperation with."