UK Defence Journal

By George Allison

12 July 2024

Source: https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/uk-considers-kongsberg-vanguard-for-mine-hunting-motherships/

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has announced plans to award a contract to Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace AS for a study on the Kongsberg C2 Vanguard Design, according to a tender notice.

This contract aims to investigate whether the pre-existing commercial ship design can serve as a viable foundation for the UK’s Mine Hunting Capability (MHC) Offshore Support Vessels (OSVs).

The MOD’s initiative comes as part of a broader strategy to acquire up to three vessels designed from the outset to be motherships for autonomous mine-hunting  boats.

According to the tender notice, the MOD intends to place a contract with Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace AS for a short study of their commercial ship design, which was initially proposed to the Norwegian Navy.

The study will help develop and de-risk a potential UK requirement for MHC OSVs. The contract, valued between £150,000 and £300,000, will run from 1 August 2024 to 31 March 2025, with an option to extend for up to 12 months.

In the tender notice, it was stated, “The Authority intends to place a contract with Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace AS for a short study of a pre-existing commercial ship design proposed to the Norwegian Navy, to enable the MHC Delivery Team (DT) to develop and de-risk a potential UK requirement for MHC Offshore Support Vessels (OSVs).”

The MOD’s decision to contract with Kongsberg is based on the unique technical knowledge, experience, and rights that Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace AS holds over the commercial ship design.

The notice highlighted, “The Authority’s decision is made for technical reasons, since only Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace AS have the necessary technical knowledge, experience and rights in the pre-existing commercial ship design to provide the required support and analysis.”

The MOD also aims to ensure that these new ships are built to higher damage control and survivability standards than those of a merchant ship conversion, like RFA Stirling Castle, the mothership for minehunters expected to be deployed around the relatively safe waters of the UK.

The notice also emphasised, “The participation of Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace AS in no way precludes involvement in any downstream competitive process for a potential MHC OSV requirement. 

The intention is to prove that a commercial ship design is a viable way forward and enable that the Authority’s subsequent definition of a requirement for a potential MHC OSV capability will ensure an open and fair competition.”

According to the builders, Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace AS, the VANGUARD system is designed to “ensure mission success in territorial waters surveillance and protection”.

The system is adaptable and affordable, built around a multipurpose hangar supporting helicopters, UAVs, and USVs. The ship is designed for organic vehicle launch and recovery in high sea states, with the hangar optimised for new tasks and equipment maintenance.