- Lithuania sign a non-binding document that lays the foundations of its future procurement of four Vanguard modular multirole vessels
- The Baltic navy is considering mounting a NASAMS air defence system onto the platform
- A standard multirole warship is required to respond to Russia’s diverse threat forms against European countries
On the margins of the Ankara Summit last week, Nato allies Lithuania and Norway signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) establishing the conditions under which the former may procure four of Kongsberg’s Standard Multirole Warships.
The Baltic nation is leaning toward the crewed, modular and multirole platform – also known as the Vanguard system – to succeed its disparate fleet of light combat and auxiliary ships, which have reached between 32 to 48 years of age.
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“Even if upgraded, part of the [existing] equipment would fail to match the operational needs of the country, while spare parts for some of the assets are increasingly difficult to supply,” read Lithuania’s reasoning.
Notably, these legacy ships lack the physical space, structural weight allowance and power distribution systems needed for modern air defence systems. For example, the Ministry of National Defence envisage mounting a NASAMS air defence system onto the vessel.
No other military user has deployed a ground-based air defence system on a vessel, yet this is captures the inclination for composable systems that delivers an intended effect more cheaply.
The reality at sea
It is no secret that Russia is engaged in hostile acts against European countries short of the threshold of war. Moscow could easily apply recent lessons from the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran’s forces are are disrupting merchant shipping, to the Gulf of Finland, where Russian forces could lay sea mines, jam Nato assets, and conduct drone strikes.
The prospect is made more compelling given that Russian MiG-31 aircraft violated Baltic airspace, flying over the Estonian island of Vaindloo for an unprecedented 12 minutes, last year.
Although, Lithuania’s navy contributes a large part toward Nato’s collective minecountermeasures, the new face of war demands that the service be ready to respond to any event; this will require flexible, reconfigurable ships adaptable to new technology insertions.
A standard ship
Norway selected Kongsberg and Salt Ship Design to design the vessel at the end of March. The Standard Multirole Warship is Lithuania’s first choice based on the simplicity of operating a single, modular standardised vessel, which can perform any number of roles. The decision is intended to cut costs and upgrade components over the ship’s life cycle.
In its announcement, the Ministry of National Defense detailed plans to conduct coastal, air defence, command and control, drone release, counter-drone, electronic warfare, reconnaissance, fire support, minehunting and other undersea tasks.
Norway plan to purchase 28 ships while Lithuania pursues four. Crucially, the potential purchase will prevent the forthcoming capability gap after 2030.
Industrial guarantees
“Cooperation with Norway allows us to join a reliable programme already on track,” explained the Minister of National Defence, Robertas Kaunas.
But there are other programmes available that are at the same stage, such as the European Patrol Corvette (EPC), which is a joint programme under OCCAR management. In fact, the programme is intended to do the same as the Standard Multirole Warship in offering a single, reconfigurable platform.
Crucially, however, Kongsberg secured an MoU between the two countries because of Oslo’s stipulation that at least 30% of the project’s value will be sourced from Lithuania. This covers shipbuilding and contracts with businesses providing sensors, communications, cable integration, pipelines, interior and other specialisations.
