Norway has unveiled an ambitious plan to construct up to 28 standardized vessels designed to meet the evolving challenges of modern maritime operations.
This initiative, developed in collaboration with the country’s defense sector and maritime industry, aims to drive economic growth, safeguard local jobs, and establish Norway as a leader in export-oriented, sustainable maritime technology.
At the center of this program is the Vanguard system, a next-generation maritime solution characterized by its modular and flexible design. The system allows for rapid reconfiguration, enabling the vessels to switch equipment within hours to perform a wide range of missions, from coastal surveillance to supporting autonomous systems.
The Vanguard system has been developed through a partnership between Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, Salt Ship Design, and Kongsberg Maritime. Each partner contributes expertise in naval systems integration, ship design for challenging environments, and proven ship equipment utilized on over 18,000 vessels worldwide.
The key feature of Vanguard’s design is its modularity, which allows the ships to adapt to various roles without the need for permanent structural changes. This flexibility ensures the vessels can be quickly reconfigured for diverse tasks such as search and rescue, environmental monitoring, mine countermeasures, and military operations.
The vessel construction program is expected to provide a significant boost to Norway’s economy. By incorporating local shipyards into the building process and leveraging Norwegian expertise, the initiative will create jobs and support long-term economic activity.
The Vanguard system employs a “design-to-purpose” procurement process that emphasizes customer involvement during the design phase. This approach streamlines production timelines, engages local shipyards, and ensures the vessels remain state-of-the-art upon delivery.
By leveraging commercial shipbuilding practices and integrating them with mission-specific capabilities, the Vanguard program sets a new benchmark for cost-effective, multi-role maritime solutions.