According to a tweet published by the Norwegian MoD on April 7, 2023, the frigate HNoMS Fridtjof Nansen has conducting patrols at Norwegian critical infrastructure in the Barents Sea and the Norwegian Sea.
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Fridtjof Nansen-class HNoMS frigate Fridtjof Nansen. (Picture source: Norwegian MoD)
Securing the seabed and critical infrastructures is of paramount importance for Norway and other Scandinavian countries. Norway has an extensive coastline and a large maritime area, which includes rich fishing grounds, oil and gas resources, and important shipping routes. Securing these areas is crucial for the country's economy and national security.
Critical infrastructure such as oil rigs, pipelines, and communication cables are also important assets that must be secured. These structures are vulnerable to terrorist attacks, cyber-attacks, and natural disasters such as storms and earthquakes.
Frigate Fridtjof Nansen
The vessel has a displacement of 5,290 tons, a length of 134 meters, a beam of 16.8 meters, and a draft of 7.6 meters. She uses a combined diesel and gas propulsion system, with two BAZAN BRAVO 12V 4.5 MW diesel engines for cruising and one GE LM2500 21.5 MW gas turbine for high-speed running, with MAAG gearboxes, two shafts driving controllable pitch propellers and a bow thruster retractable (electric)1 MW Brunvoll. Fridtjof Nansen has a speed of 27 knots and a range of 4,500 nautical miles.
The ship can accommodate up to 146 people, with a crew of 120. She is equipped with advanced technology such as the Lockheed Martin AN/SPY-1F 3-D multifunction radar, Reutech RSR 210N air/sea surveillance radar, Sagem Vigy 20 Electro Optical Director, MRS 2000 hull mounted sonar, and Captas MK II V1 active/passive towed sonar.
Fridtjof Nansen also has two Mark 82 fire-control radars, a Terma DL-12T decoy launcher, a Loki torpedo countermeasure system, and 8-cell Mk41 VLS launchers for 32 × RIM-162 ESSM missiles and 8 × Naval Strike Missile SSMs.
The frigate is also armed with 4 × torpedo tubes for Sting Ray torpedoes, depth charges, 1 × 76 mm OTO Melara Super Rapid gun, 4 × 12.7 mm Browning M2HB HMGs, 4 × Protector (RWS) (Sea PROTECTOR), and 2 × LRAD Long Range Acoustic Device.
She can carry one NH90 helicopter and has a spare Otobreda 127 mm/54 gun to replace the 76 mm, a spare CIWS gun w/ caliber 40 mm or less, and 3 × spare 8- cell Mk41 VLS launchers. The ship is also prepared for low-cost ASW and ECM: Active Off-board Decoy.
