Kongsberg secures NOK 410 million Skjold-class sensor upgrade contract

The Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency, NDMA, has awarded Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace a contract worth approximately NOK 410 million to upgrade the sensor suite of the Royal Norwegian Navy’s Skjold-class corvettes.

- We are pleased to continue our work with the NDMA on the Skjold class to support and strengthen the fleet’s operational capability and availability, said Kjetil Reiten Myhra, executive vice-president for defence systems at Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, in a press release.

The Royal Norwegian Navy operates six Skjold-class vessels, among the fastest naval platforms in service.

The programme will upgrade the vessels’ fire-control radars and introduce new electro-optical sensors on four corvettes, fully integrated with the existing combat management system.

The upgrade is intended to improve detection, tracking and engagement performance, including against small, fast-moving threats such as unmanned aerial vehicles, while maintaining precision from the 76mm main gun.

The contract forms part of a wider modernisation plan to sustain the operational relevance and combat effectiveness of the Skjold class until a next generation of standardised vessels under Fleet Plan 2024 enters service.

Stein Håvard Bergstad, head of maritime capabilities at the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency, said the contract would help ensure the Skjold class remains a relevant and combat-capable asset in the coming years.

- The upgrade enhances precision, detection capability and endurance, and is a key element of the vessels’ overall modernisation, he said.

Installation of the first upgraded system is scheduled for 2026.