Designed and built by Umoe Mandal, the Skjold class corvette is engineered
for littoral combat and surface operations in coastal waters. While
light in displacement (274 tons) the Skjold class are armed like a frigate
ship, present many stealth features and are capable of high transit
speeds. While
they should be classed as Patrol Boats, the Royal Norwegian Navy officially
label them as coastal corvettes.
Composite materials used in the ship's construction are one of the unique
specificities of the Skjold class. Those materials allows the ship to
be very lightweight. Skjold will float high in the water not only providing
it with excellent sea keaping capabilites but allowing the ship to access
very shallow waters denied to other vessels. (thanks to a draught of
0.9m).
The same composite materials are also key to the ship's radar reflective
and radar absorbent properties as well as reduced infrared and optical
signatures.
The ship is heavily armed for its displacement with eight Kongsberg
NSM (Naval strike missile) anti-ship missiles, MBDA Mistral surface
to air missiles and an Oto Melara 76mm Super Rapid gun.
The head
of class, Skjold was delivered to the Royal Norwegian Navy in April
1999.
The Royal Norwegian Navy intends to commission 6 Skjold class corvettes
Shiplist
Name
Hull
Number
Skjold
P960
Storm
P961
Skudd
P962
Steil
P963
Glimt
P964
Gnist
P965
Variants:
The U.S. Navy and Coast
Guard expressed some interest in the design
Surface
effect ship. Catamaran (twin) Hull. Fiber glass and carbon composite materials.
Modularized sensor and weapon systems. Radar reflective and radar absorbent
materials design. Air intakes to gas turbines and
l ift fans covered with radar absorbing grid/mesh.
Weapons
Anti-ship
missiles:
8x Naval Strike Missile (NSM)
Anti-air missiles:
Dual Mistral launcher (Simbad)
Guns:
1x 76mm Otobreda Super Rapid (main gun)
Sensors,
Electronics and Decoys
Electronic
equipment:
DCNS Senit 2000 combat management system
Thales IFF interrogator/transponder
Saab Tech CEROS 200 Fire Control Tracker