Kongsberg gears up to compete for naval contracts

Kongsberg Maritime (KM) has revealed that it intends to participate in the prequalification phase of the competition to partner with the Royal Norwegian Navy on new standardised vessels. The Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency is to hold a national competition for vessel design and concept development relating to as many as 28 standardised vessels for the country’s Navy.

The company, which is being spun off by parent Kongsberg Gruppen ASA and listed as a separate company on the Oslo Stock Exchange in April, claims that its participation is a clear indication of its interest in naval business. Following its separation from the group, KM has declared its intention to continue and strengthen its partnership with the country’s Navy.

“We are participating in the competition with our full product portfolio,” declared Per Håvard Siljan Hjukse, KM executive vice president, “including ship design and integrated system solutions for advanced vessels. For us, and for the Norwegian maritime cluster, this represents a unique opportunity we are keen to be part of.”

The company has substantial experience in the ‘grey boat’ sector, having delivered designs for more than 1,000 vessels in both the commercial and military sectors over several decades. KM is currently supplying systems for the British, Canadian, Australian, and Norwegian navies.

“We already have mature solutions for naval and coast guard vessels,” Hjukse said, “including system deliveries to more than 900 military vessels worldwide ... We believe this positions us well to develop the next generation of vessels for the Royal Norwegian Navy, and we look forward to offering solutions that combine operational performance, cost efficiency, and technological innovation.”