Norway and Lithuania signed MoU on standardised vessels

Lithuania is considering procuring Norwegian-developed standardised vessels for its navy. Today’s signing marks an important step forward. Norway is viewed by Lithuania as a preferred strategic partner for this capability development, and the MoU lays the groundwork for Lithuania’s possible participation in the Norwegian-led Standardised Vessel Programme

“It is now important to continue the technical, commercial and industrial work required to demonstrate that standardised vessels from Norway are the best choice for Lithuania”, said Norwegian minister of Defence, Tore O. Sandvik.

The signing of this government-to-government MoU with Lithuania marks another important milestone for the programme and confirms the shared intention of both countries to move forward with structured cooperation on future naval capabilities.

"I am pleased to see that the cooperation and close ties between our two countries continue to grow stronger," said Minister of Defence Tore O. Sandvik.

The Norwegian Armed Forces plan to acquire up to 28 new standardised vessels to replace several of the current vessel classes. Lithuania is assessing the programme as a preferred route for renewing its naval platforms after 2030, with a requirement for four multi-purpose modular vessels and associated modular capabilities.

"Norway aims to bring allied nations into the project. This offers several advantages. If multiple countries operate the same type of vessel, it can help reduce costs and improve interoperability—not only in operations, but also in areas such as training, operation, and maintenance," said Sandvik.

A key principle of the programme is that the vessels should be as civilian as possible and as military as necessary. This approach helps keep both acquisition and operating costs down while ensuring that the vessels deliver the required operational capability.

"Norway has a world-class maritime industry and defence industry. Together, they are well positioned to deliver a cost-effective vessel capable of meeting the future requirements of Norway, Lithuania and other allied nations for this type of capability." said Sandvik.