Non-Subscriber Extract
US Navy to test Skjold
- Article Tools
| 7 June 2001 |
JOHN BERGJDW Correspondent
Oslo
The
US Navy has formally informed Norway it wants to lease the prototype of
the Skjold-class fast attack craft (FAC) with a Norwegian crew for one year.
The air cushion catamaran, with a top speed of nearly 60kt, will be tested as a possible platform for special forces operations. During Exercise 'Joint Winter' in March three members of the US Navy Special Warfare Command spent a day aboard the boat.
If a price for the lease period, with support, is agreed and a guarantee issued that the testing will not be impeded by Norwegian rules for use of national defence materiel, the US Navy indicates it wants to take over the Skjold in August.
Norwegian Chief of Defence Gen Sigurd Frisvold has given the Skjold class a relatively low priority in his Defence Plan 2002-21 (Jane's Defence Weekly 2 May). Parliament will amend the plan when the Defence Budget Plan 2002-05 is approved early this month. Indications are that the majority in parliament will overrule Gen Frisvold and approve a fleet of eight Skjold-class FACs at the expense of other programmes. The final priorities will depend on whether parliament increases the budget and if it allocates funds to several military establishments which Gen Frisvold wants to shut down.
 |
| The
US Navy wants to test the Norwegian Skjold as a possible platform
for special forces operations (Source: Norwegian MoD) |