The British MOD released a transparency notice on 11 July, communicating the intention to award the Norwegian Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace an 8-month early studies contract to evaluate a “pre-existing commercial ship design proposed to the Royal Norwegian Navy” as a potential mothership solution for the Mine Hunting Capability (MHC).

The Royal Navy has a requirement for at least 3 or 4 MHC Offshore Support Vessels (OSVs) that will transport, deploy and support the new MHC “systems of systems” for mine-countermeasure tasks away from the UK. The MHC system comprises Uncrewed Surface and Underwater Vehicles for search and disposal of mines and in the future might add UAVs as well, both for communication relay and for ISR.

The Royal Navy has procured a first ship to be used as mothership in “home” waters, the RFA STIRLING CASTLE, built originally as the MV Island Crown, an offshore support vessel. It is writing down more stringent requirements for the ships to be used in out of area operations, however. Two requirements, in particular, have been highlighted: an enhanced survivability standard and a cargo deck of at least 1000 square meters (versus 600 for STIRLING CASTLE), to support the constant evolution and expansion of MHC systems and other modular mission systems (in development as containerized modules known as the “NavyPODS”, for Persistent Operational Deployed Systems).

Norway’s latest defence strategy puts great emphasis on the need to field a new type of multi-role, modular ship, to come in a couple of different sizes, to cover a whole host of roles thanks to embarkation of modular mission solutions. This concept was pushed personally by the Chief of Defence in his paper “The Military Advice of the Chief of Defence 2023”, in which it was recommended to procure “a standardised class of vessels in 2 sizes [...] to fulfill the missions of the Navy and the Coast Guard”. The Chief recommended the procurement of up to 4 such large standard vessels and up to 16 smaller standard. Parliament listened, and the official plan released in April 2024 as “The Norwegian Defence Pledge - Long-term Defence Plan 2025–2036” actually ups the numbers to 10 and 18 respectively.

The new “standardised vessels” are described as blue-water vessels able to carry “large” modular solutions that will give them, depending on the fit and situations, the ability to contribute to ASW, to serve as platforms for minelaying and also for mine clearance. Kongsberg has thus been pushing its VANGUARD solution, a set of standardized Command and Control and physical solutions to adapt a hull of civilian origins to the role of flexible mothership. Kongsberg proposes to focus on the design of the “hangar” for drones and modules as well as adaptation of the ship itself, “built to the highest IMO standards with military reinforcements for handling weapons and communications”. This is of obvious interest to the British Royal Navy as well, with an added consideration to be made: with London and Oslo reportedly locked in discussions about how BAE Systems’s Type 26 Global Combat Ship could become Norway’s next frigate, a return deal through cooperation on VANGUARD could serve as an offset of sorts.