Norway invites four nations to talk partnerships over new frigates
The US, the UK, France and Germany each have existing frigate programmes.
Lockheed Martin has signed a contract with Navantia to equip the Spanish Navy's five new F110 multi-mission frigates and a land-based test site with a naval installation of its solid state S-band radar.
The new F110 frigates will be built by Spain’s national shipbuilder, Navantia.
Known in US service as the AN/SPY-7(V)1, the radar is derived from current in-service radar programmes.
Lockheed Martin and Spanish company, Indra, will jointly provide the radar. It will go to sea as part of the Aegis Weapon System, which will be integrated with the ship’s combat management system, SCOMBA, when the first frigate deploys in 2026.
The US, the UK, France and Germany each have existing frigate programmes.
Budgetary constraints and the annual procurement rate could impact the branch’s intention to have a hybrid fleet.
The long-standing naval procurement partnership between Egypt and France could soon be disrupted as South Korean bidders enter the race to replace the country’s Romeo-class submarines.
Without naming a culprit, the defence ministers of both nations expressed concern about “deliberate” severing of undersea internet cables.
The vessel will be the 14th Freedom-class littoral ship in the Navy’s current fleet.
One of the vessels present in both cases was armed with hypersonic cruise missiles.