Tag Archives: NDMA

Navy

Bjørnøya

March 15, 2022 Dmitry Shulgin

On Thursday 10 March, the coastguard vessel KV «Bjørnøya» arrived at Vard Langsten in Tomrefjord. Since 16 February, the vessel has been towed from Vard Tulcea’s shipyard in Romania to Norway. The actual tow was expected to take about a month, but due to good weather conditions, the vessel arrived earlier than expected.

KV «Bjørnøya» is the second vessel in the Jan Mayen class to take over for the robust Nordkapp class, which will soon be retired after more than 40 years in faithful service for the Armed Forces. During the next year, KV «Bjørnøya» will transfer from being a hull, to becoming a full-fledged coastguard vessel, says project manager Odd Magne Nilsen in NDMA.

Before the vessels become operational, they must be equipped and have the necessary equipment installed for the operations in which they are to participate.

It is important that the vessels are equipped with the capacities necessary to patrol and solve imposed tasks throughout Norway’s area of interest, including Arctic waters, Nilsen explains.

The first vessel will be handed over to the Armed Forces in 2022

The main contract between NDMA and VARD to build three helicopter-carrying and ice-reinforced vessels, was signed 25 June 2018. The acquisition of the coastguard vessels is one of the largest defense acquisitions ever made in the maritime sector.

The proportion of Norwegian subcontractors is large and contributes to further developing national competence and capacity within the maritime industry, Odd Magne Nilsen explains.

The first coastguard vessel «Jan Mayen» arrived in Norway last year and the vessel is now equipped at VARD Langsten in Tomrefjord.

The equipment of the first hull, arriving at the yard in September 2021, is now entering a new phase with completion, commissioning, and an extensive test period. Getting the hull of the second vessel to the yard now, is a good fit and in accordance with our plans. This contributes to a good transfer of experience by using the same workers on both vessels, and that we get a steady load on the yard in the coming months, says project manager Roar Gjerde in VARD.

According to plan, «Jan Mayen» will be handed over to the Armed Forces in the autumn of 2022. There will be an intensive period ahead before preparing the vessel for delivery. With its capacities and ability to operate in the entire area of interest to Norway, including Arctic waters, the Coast Guard vessel will be an important resource. KV «Bjørnøya» is planned to be delivered to the Armed Forces in 2023, while KV «Hopen» will be delivered in 2024.

Facts

By 2024, the Coast Guard’s vessels in the Nordkapp class will be replaced by the Jan Mayen class. The acquisition of the three new coastguard vessels «KV Jan Mayen», «KV Bjørnøya» and «KV Hopen» is one of the largest defense acquisitions ever made in the maritime sector in Norway.

The vessels will be handed over from VARD to the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (NDMA) in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

The hulls of the Jan Mayen class are built at VARD Tulcea in Romania, before being towed to VARD Langsten in Tomrefjord in Norway to be equipped, tested and completed.

The tow of the second vessel in the Jan Mayen class, KV Bjørnøya, started on Wednesday 16 February.

The main contract to build three helicopter-carrying and ice-reinforced vessels between the NDMA and VARD was signed on 25 June 2018. The vessels will solve imposed tasks throughout Norway’s area of interest, including Arctic waters. Strict requirements are set for the vessels’ seaworthy properties, strength, stability, helicopter availability, sensors and communication and control capacity.

The proportion of Norwegian subcontractors is large in the offer from VARD and will contribute to further developing national competence and capacity within the maritime industry.

The vessels must be able to cooperate with and support civilian units and military units.

Air, Air Force, Navy

Norwegian Poseidon

November 23, 2021 Dmitry Shulgin

The Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (NDMA) on November 18, 2021 accepted the first of five Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft that will be operated by the Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF).

«Norway is responsible for large maritime areas in a strategically important part of the world, and the new P-8A Poseidon will represent a tremendous improvement in our ability to both protect our sovereignty and understand developments in these areas. Today’s delivery of our first P-8A Poseidon is an important milestone in the modernization of Norway’s maritime patrol aircraft capability», said Mette Sørfonden, director general of the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency. «I’m very pleased that the NDMA will soon be able to provide the Norwegian Armed Forces with a whole new generation of aircraft that will play an important role in preserving our national security for many years to come».

Norway’s first P-8A Poseidon aircraft, named Vingtor, was delivered to the NDMA during a ceremony at the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington. The milestone comes four years after the NDMA entered into an agreement with the U.S. Navy for the P-8A Poseidon, and two years before the new aircraft are scheduled to begin taking over maritime patrol duties in Norway’s high north.

«We’re honored to provide this unmatched, multimission maritime patrol capability to Norway», said Stu Voboril, vice president and program manager, P-8 Poseidon Programs. «Norway joins seven other global customers that have selected or already operate the P-8 Poseidon and benefit greatly from its long-range maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare capabilities. We look forward to enhancing our continued and enduring partnership with the U.S. Navy and the Royal Norwegian Air Force, and supporting the future fleet’s sustainment and training needs».

Norway’s four remaining aircraft are all in advanced stages of production and will be delivered to the NDMA in 2022. The five P-8As will replace the RNoAF current fleet of six P-3 Orions and two DA-20 Jet Falcons and will be operated by 333 Squadron at Evenes Air Station.

Norwegian companies Nammo, Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, Andoya Space and Berget currently have agreements with Boeing that are part of a tailored industrial cooperation plan related to Norway’s acquisition of five P-8A Poseidon aircraft. Boeing continues to work with the NDMA and Norwegian industry to expand that plan and support economic growth throughout Norway.

The delivery to Norway also marks the 142nd P-8 Poseidon aircraft delivered to global customers, including the U.S. Navy, the Royal Australian Air Force, the Indian Navy and the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force. First deliveries to New Zealand, Korea and Germany will take place in 2022, 2023 and 2024 respectively.

To date, the global operating P-8 Poseidon fleet has amassed more than 400,000 mishap-free flight hours. The P-8 Poseidon is a long-range anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft capable of broad-area, maritime and littoral operations. In addition, the P-8 Poseidon performs humanitarian and search and rescue missions around the globe.

Air

Maiden Flight

August 14, 2021 Dmitry Shulgin

The first of five Boeing P-8A Poseidon aircraft for Norway performed its maiden flight yesterday, August 9. The aircraft took off at 10:03 a.m. Pacific time and flew for 2 hours, 24 minutes, reaching a maximum altitude of 41,000 feet/12,497 m during the flight from Renton Municipal Airport to Boeing Field in Seattle.

The first flight marks the next phase of the production cycle of this aircraft as it is moved to the Installation and Checkout facility, where mission systems will be installed and additional testing will take place before final delivery to the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (NDMA) later this year.

«This inaugural flight is an important milestone for Norway, and the Boeing team remains committed to delivering the P-8 Poseidon fleet to the NDMA on schedule», said Christian Thomsen, P-8 Poseidon Europe program manager. «The P-8 Poseidon is a capability that will help Norway improve anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and search-and-rescue missions, in addition to fostering valuable regional collaboration and interoperability with NATO nations».

The five P-8As will eventually replace Norway’s current fleet of six P-3 Orions and three DA-20 Jet Falcons. The Royal Norwegian Air Force currently operates its P-3s from Andoya Air Station. With the introduction of the P-8s, flight operations will move to new facilities at Evenes Air Station.

To date, Boeing has delivered 136 P-8 Poseidon aircraft to the U.S. Navy, the Royal Australian Air Force, the Indian Navy and the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force. Norway is one of eight nations that have selected the P-8A Poseidon as their maritime patrol aircraft, along with the United States, India, Australia, the United Kingdom, Korea, New Zealand and Germany.

Technical Specifications

Wing Span	123.6 feet/37.64 m
Height	42.1 feet/12.83 m
Length	129.5 feet/39.47 m
Propulsion	2 × CFM56-7B engines
Propulsion	27,000 lbs./12,237 kgf/120 kN thrust
Speed	490 knots/564 mph/908 km/h
Range	1,200 NM/1,381 miles/2,222 km with 4 hours on station
Ceiling	41,000 feet/12,497 m
Crew	9
Maximum Take-Off Gross Weight	189,200 lbs./85,820 kg

Ground Forces

The first Extenda

June 10, 2018 Dmitry Shulgin

On June 07, 2018, UK Special Forces vehicle designer and manufacturer, Supacat (part of SC Group), has announced the recent delivery of the first production HMT Extenda vehicle to the Norwegian Armed Forces. The handover took place at Supacat’s Devon facility on 30 May 2018.

The Supacat HMT Extenda is a convertible to 4×4 or 6×6 configuration by inserting or removing a self-contained third axle unit to meet different operational requirements (Supacat photo)

Supacat signed a £23 million contract with The Norwegian Defence Material Agency (NDMA) to supply a new fleet of High Mobility Vehicles in May 2015. The award includes the provision of a comprehensive through-life support package. The first «pre-series» vehicle was delivered in early 2017 followed by full fleet delivery taking place during 2018 and 2019.

The HMT Extenda is unique as it is convertible to a 4×4 or a 6×6 configuration by inserting or removing a self-contained third axle unit to meet different operational requirements. Like other HMT series platforms, such as the UK’s «Jackal», the HMT Extenda can be supplied with optional mine blast and ballistic protection kits and with a variety of mission hampers, weapons, communications, ISTAR and force protection equipment to suit a wide range of operational roles.

Major Arild Stangenes, NDMA Programme Manager said «the delivery of our first production vehicle is a major milestone in a long-term programme that has been ongoing since 2011. We are very pleased with the quality of our first production vehicle and with a product that fully meets the needs of our user».

Nick Ames, Chief Executive of SC Group, of which Supacat is a part, said «this project milestone is a great achievement for Supacat and for our Norwegian customer. I am proud of what the team has achieved in delivering a fantastic product and we are looking forward to following this first production delivery with the rest of the order». He added, «yet again, the Supacat HMT has proven itself to be the vehicle of choice for specialist users across the globe».

Coyote Training

Modern weapons