Nordkapp-class offshore patrol vessel


The Nordkapp class is a Norwegian Coast Guard ship class built in the 1980s, and is used for rescue, fishery inspection, research purposes and general EEZ patrol in Norwegian waters. It is a class of ships purpose built for the Norwegian Coast Guard with a secondary role as wartime naval escorts. The Norwegian Coast Guard is a part of the Royal Norwegian Navy, and has some police authority.
In June 2018 it was announced that the Vard Group, a subsidiary of Fincantieri, will build three replacement vessels for NOK 5 billion ; delivery of the three new vessels is scheduled to be in 1Q 2022, 1Q 2023, and 1Q 2024, respectively.

Design

The Nordkapp class carries one helicopter; for the time being this is the Westland Lynx, but the NH90 is to replace the Lynx. The ships are capable of ice browsing. Due to the fact that these vessels may serve as wartime naval escorts they have provisions to carry additional weapons and sensors, such as anti-ship missiles and torpedoes.

Namesake

The Nordkapp-class is named after North Cape, in Norwegian: Nordkapp, which is also the name of one of the vessels of the class.
A fisheries protection vessel named served the Royal Norwegian Navy from 1937 to 1954, including distinguished World War II service.

History

NoCGV Andenes patrolled the Persian Gulf during the Gulf War in 1991 as part of the Coalition forces. In 1994, the ship was involved in an altercation with the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society's ship Whales Forever, leading to a collision and damage to both ships.
The Nordkapp-class vessels are to be replaced from 2022 by the new, and larger, Jan-Mayen class patrol vessels currently under construction.

Ships

The class consists of three vessels:
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