UK Selects Norwegian P1118 Design for New Mine

Key Points:

• The Royal Navy will acquire three Offshore Support Vessels, with options for three more, to operate uncrewed mine countermeasure systems and enhance NATO’s northern flank security as part of the UK-Norway Type 26 partnership.
• These vessels will serve as motherships for uncrewed mine-hunting systems, improving the detection and disposal of sea mines, and the first ship is expected to be delivered in 2031.
• The deal supports the UK’s largest-ever warship export to Norway, involving Type 26 Global Combat Ships and sustaining 4,000 UK jobs, including over 2,000 at BAE Systems’ Glasgow shipyards.
• The acquisition strengthens the UK-Norway defence partnership and interoperability between their navies, contributing to NATO’s security and addressing evolving maritime mine threats highlighted by recent incidents like Iran’s mining of the Strait of Hormuz.
• The vessels will be delivered through the Maritime Capability Partnership Framework, and the announcement was made alongside other maritime and industrial commitments at the Atlantic Future Forum in Oslo.