Navantia, KNS to provide life-cycle support for Norway’s F-310 frigates

May 18, 2026, by Fatima Bahtić

Navantia and Kongsberg Naval Services (KNS) have signed a framework agreement in Bergen establishing a long-term contractual basis for industrial and technical cooperation in the support, maintenance, modification, and modernization of the Royal Norwegian Navy’s F-310 Fridtjof Nansen-class frigates.

The agreement formalizes Navantia’s role as a key partner to KNS across the frigate fleet’s lifecycle, aiming to ensure sustained operational readiness and capability upgrades.

Within this framework, Kongsberg Naval Services, part of Norway’s Kongsberg Group, acts as prime contractor, while Navantia participates as the designer, integrator and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of the frigates.

As OEM, Navantia will provide design and engineering support, as well as its expert knowledge of the platform, and will also undertake modernization work and technical evolution of the ships, helping to ensure their operational availability and their adaptation to the Norwegian Navy’s future needs.

The agreement is the third contract Navantia has in Norway related to sustaining the Nansen class frigates, and it adds to those previously signed with NDMA, namely the FOTS (follow-on technical support) contract, signed thirteen years ago and currently in force, and the I Mods (important modifications) contract, signed in 2023 and currently under execution.

Navantia, Kongsberg join forces to support Norwegian Navy’s F-310 frigates

Vessels

Navantia said that this contractual continuity reflects ongoing cooperation and demonstrates the Norwegian Ministry of Defense’s sustained confidence in Navantia as a reference partner for the sustainment, modernization and evolution of the F 310 frigates.

The agreement also strengthens industrial cooperation between Spain and Norway in the field of naval defence and consolidates Navantia as a strategic partner in one of the company’s most emblematic international programs.