# Royal Navy to buy three Norwegian support vessels for £90m to bolster northern defences

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/royal-navy-is-so-short-of-ships-were-buying-them-from-norway-for-90million/
- Published: 2026-11-12T23:19:31+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-12T23:32:23+00:00
- Original publisher: Daily Mail (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16288785/Royal-Navy-short-ships-buying-Norway-90million.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
- Topics: World

## Key points

- The Navy will buy three Norwegian vessels for £90 million.
- The first ship is not expected for five years.
- The purchase comes amid fleet and submarine shortages.

## Summary

The Royal Navy will spend £90 million on three Norwegian offshore support vessels as it faces the retirement of older ships and a shortage of vessels. The purchase is intended to strengthen support for anti-submarine warfare on Nato’s northern flank, amid warnings of increased Russian activity and strategic competition in the Arctic.

Eight crewed warships are due to retire by 2031, including three mine-hunting support vessels, while the first Norwegian ship is not expected for five years. The deal includes an option for three more vessels; the Navy’s frigate and destroyer fleet has fallen to 11, with many ships unavailable for service. MPs have also raised concerns about submarine shortages and maintenance delays, including a seven-month patrol by HMS Vengeance, whose missions are designed to last three months.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.