- Major export deal sustains 4,000 UK jobs including more than
2,000 in Scotland.
- £10 billion boost to UK economy is expected to support more
than 400 British companies, delivering on the Government's Plan
for Change.
- Norway's biggest ever defence procurement deal will see a
combined fleet of 13 Anti-Submarine Warfare frigates – eight
British and at least five Norwegian – operate jointly in Northern
Europe, significantly strengthening NATO's northern flank.
Billions of pounds will be pumped into the UK economy following
Norway's decision to select British warships for their Armed
Forces – securing thousands of jobs in Britain for years to
come.
The UK, in its biggest ever warship export deal by value, will
supply Norway with Type 26 frigates designed for anti-submarine
warfare in the deal worth £10 billion announced today, a clear
example of this Government is delivering on its Plan for
Change.
The deal will support 4,000 jobs across the UK supply chain until
well into the 2030s, including more than 2,000 at BAE Systems'
Glasgow shipyards. The programme is also expected to support 432
business, including 222 small and medium enterprises, across the
UK including 103 in Scotland, 47 in the North West of England and
35 in the West Midlands.
Norway's selection of the UK's world leading Type 26 frigates
builds on decades of close cooperation between close NATO allies
and strengthens both nations' strategic partnership and maritime
security in the face of increasing Russian threats in northern
Europe. Both Australia and Canada have also selected the design
for Type 26 for their Navies.
Prime Minister
said:
“This £10 billion deal is what our Plan for Change is about –
creating jobs, driving growth and protecting national security
for working people.
“This Government has forged new partnerships across the world to
deliver for people at home and the export of our world leading
Type 26 frigates to Norway will do exactly that, supporting
well-paid jobs up and down the United Kingdom, from apprentices
to engineers.
“This success is testament to the thousands of people across the
country who are not just delivering this next generation
capabilities for our Armed Forces but also national security for
the UK, our Norwegian partners and NATO for years to come.”
The decision comes ahead of a new UK-Norway defence agreement
that will strengthen Euro-Atlantic security while bringing the
two countries' defence industries closer together to boost jobs,
growth, and innovation.
Norway's operation of identical Type 26 ships alongside the Royal
Navy hails the deepening of a long term-strategic relationship
that will see a combined fleet of 13 Anti-Submarine Warfare
frigates – eight British and at least five Norwegian – to detect,
classify, track and defeat hostile submarines – significantly
reinforcing NATO's northern flank.
This ambitious partnership will also cover shared maintenance,
extensive crew training, in-service support and personnel
exchanges.
As outlined in this year's Strategic Defence Review, Norway
remains one of the United Kingdom's most valued strategic allies,
serving as the only nation participating in the UK Carrier Strike
Group's complete 2025 deployment whilst also collaborating with
the UK and NATO partners in safeguarding critical undersea
infrastructure in Northern Europe.
Defence Secretary, MP said:
“For over 75 years, Britain and Norway have stood together on
NATO's northern and north-eastern frontiers, keeping the UK and
Europe safe. This historic defence deal deepens our strategic
partnership.
“With Norway, we will train, operate, deter, and – if necessary –
fight together. Our navies will work as one, leading the way in
NATO, with this deal putting more world-class warships in the
North Atlantic to hunt Russian submarines, protect our critical
infrastructure, and keep both our nations secure.
“This deal confirms Britain's defence industry as world-leading.
It will support thousands of high-skilled jobs for the next 15
years and beyond, driving forward this Government's Plan for
Change and making defence an engine for growth.”
On behalf of Team UK industry partners, Charles Woodburn,
Chief Executive of BAE Systems, said:
“The Norwegian Government's decision reflects its
confidence in British industry's ability to deliver a superior
anti-submarine warfare platform, together with systems and
equipment, that will support its future maritime security and
reinforce its position within NATO.
“We look forward to playing our part in further strengthening the
strategic partnership between the UK and Norway, as we work
together with Norwegian industry to deliver this important
capability to the Royal Norwegian Navy.”
The Type 26 features sophisticated weapons, advanced sensors, and
cutting-edge communications, with a flexible design that enables
future upgrades to counter emerging threats.
