The Skjold-class corvette is a unique surface combatant with its unusual design and features.
This vessel has caused some debates in its own country, as well as between the naval
analysts.
Yet, we should accept that this corvette, designed specifically for shielding the Norwegian
fjords, is undoubtedly the best for the job.
As the Weapon Detective, we are investigating the Skjold-class, the fast, stealth, and deadly
heir of the snekkjas.
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The Skjold-class corvettes are one of the most advanced surface combatants of our times.
Their surface effect ship design, shortly SES, make these vessels perfect for a possible
naval battle around the Norwegian fjords.
But, this design philosophy also causes some controversies.
Before discussing them, let's briefly look at the historical background and features
of the Skjold-class.
Although it was a flank country for NATO, Norway, which controlled the exit of the Baltic
and Barents seas, had specific importance during the First Cold War.
So, the Royal Norwegian Navy had been operating a relatively massive fleet consisting of major
surface combatants in the 1950s.
Still, it could not match the mighty Soviet Navy alone.
For this reason, in 1960, the Norwegian naval staff developed a new concept.
In a possible Third World War, many submarines and fast-attack crafts screened behind the
islets, islands, and fjords would attack the Soviet vessels with hit-and-run tactics.
Thus, the Norwegian shipyards began to build the Tjeld and Rapp-class torpedo boats first.
After a short time, they turned to the construction of the Snøgg, Storm, and Hauk-classes equipped
with both torpedoes and the Penguin anti-ship missiles.
In the late 1980s, the Royal Norwegian Navy began to seek a new boat to replace the Storm-class.
Before this programme called Project SMP 6081, the Norwegian engineers had already studied
and applied the US works on the SES design for the Oksøy-class minehunters.
This hybrid form, combining both an air cushion, like a hovercraft, and twin hulls, like a
catamaran, was more resistant to slipping sideways when acted on by air or sea.
It could use water jets for propulsion since the inlet nozzles were always covered by water.
Also, using an air cushion reduced the draft significantly, which provided an excellent
littoral water operation capability.
So, the SES design was perfect for the new fast attack craft of the Royal Norwegian Navy.
The new boat would be stealthy and have at least 45 knots maximum speed.
Thanks to the Oksøy-class minehunter programme, the Norwegian engineers had already gained
experience in composites as construction materials, which would help to reduce displacement and
radar-cross section.
The previous Norwegian missile boats had the Penguins with a 34 kilometres maximum range.
The new vessels would have the newly developed NSMs, which could attack a target at a range
of over 185 kilometres.
In addition to extended range anti-ship missiles, the increased speed would make it possible
to control a larger area with fewer vessels.
Initially, Oslo had planned to open an international tender.
Yet, the German shipyard Abeking & Rasmussen, which was the only foreign contender, withdrew
in the early stage of the programme.
In 1996, local Kvaerner Mandal, today Umoe Mandal, won the tender against the other local
shipyard, Mjellem & Karlsen.
On August 30 of the same year, Oslo ordered KNM Skjold, the first pre-production version
of the Skjold-class.
She was laid down on August 4, 1997, launched on September 22, 1998, and commissioned on
April 17, 1999.
Soon, the US Navy and US Coast Guard expressed their interests in the state-of-art design
of the boat.
They did not want to acquire this type of missile boat.
At that time, the US Navy was working on littoral water warfare concepts, and KNM Skjold was
one of the best vessels, which would simulate the highest level threat.
The trials conducted between 2001 to 2002 provided valuable feedback.
So, when Norway ordered additional five boats in 2003 after lengthy political discussions,
some design changes were made.
For example, the foredeck has been strengthened around the gun mounting.
A more raked bow has been adopted to improve seaworthiness.
KNM Skjold had two diesel engines and two gas turbines in CODAG configuration.
The later boats have been equipped with four gas turbines.
Also, the machinery of the first vessel has been changed to the new configuration.
A little note, some sources claim that the Royal Norwegian Navy had initially planned
to have 12 boats, and due to budget cuts, this number was reduced eight first and six
later.
But, we could not confirm this information in the official sources.
According to the Royal Norwegian Navy's initial plan, the Skjold-class would supplement the
Hauk-class, not replace it.
However, because of the budget cuts and chancing threat perception, Norway retired the Hauk-class
boats in 2008.
So, now the Skjold-class became the only missile boat of the navy.
But one year later, this situation changed too due to a literature change.
The Royal Norwegian Navy initially classified the Skjold-class as "Missiltorpedobåt", which
means "missile torpedo boat" in Norwegian.
This definition has changed to "corvette" because these vessels have higher seaworthiness
than the boats and do not carry torpedoes.
The hull and superstructure of the Skjold-class are of fire-insulating and non-conductive
glass fibre/carbon composite materials, which reduce displacement and radar-cross section.
Its design helps to increase the corvette's stealth capability.
Also, the load-bearing structures over large areas of the ship are coated with radar-absorbent
materials.
Two recessed quadruple launchers are at the stern, which housed four NSM each.
They elevate to launch missiles, and after firing, they retract.
All hot exhaust gases are mixed with water first then released from behind the vessel
and below between the skirts to reduce infra-red signature.
The Skjold-class has a particular camouflage pattern specially optimized for the Norwegian
coasts.
When the air cushion is used, the draught reduces from 2.3 metres to 0.8 metres, lowering
water displacement and frictional resistance.
Thereby, the corvette can cruise at higher speeds with the same drive power.
The SES design of the Skjold-class also increases the vessel's manoeuvrability and the resistance
to underwater explosions, as well as a lower probability of being located by active and
passive sonar.
The corvette can reach a top speed of 45 knots at sea state 3 and 25 knots at sea state 5.
With a 60 knots speed on calm water, the Skjold-class is one of the fastest surface combatants.
According to official data of the Norwegian Armed Forces, the complement of the Skjold-class
is 20-person.
The corvette has a length of 47.5 metres, a beam of 13.5 metres, and a draught of 2.5
metres.
Its fully loaded displacement is 273 tons.
The propulsion system of the vessel consists of two 5,440 horsepower Pratt&Whitney ST-40M
and two 2,680 horsepower Pratt&Whitney ST-18M gas turbines in COGAG configuration, as well
as two 1,000 horsepower MTU 12V 183 TE92 diesel lift engines.
Its maximum speed is 60 knots.
The range is 1,480 kilometres, in other words, 800 nautical miles.
The Skjold-class has eight NSM 15 anti-ship missiles, one SIMBAD dual launcher for the
Mistral air defence missiles, one 76mm Super Rapido gun, and two 12.7mm M2HB machine guns.
The corvette also has the MRR-3D air/surface, CEROS 2000 fire control and Bridgemaster navigation
radars, as well as the MASS decoy launcher and CS-3071 electronic support measure system.
The NSM can reach the maximum speed of Mach 0.95.
Its range is over 185 kilometres.
The missile has a 125-kilogram high explosive blast-fragmentation warhead.
The NSM's high-resolution passive imaging infrared seeker has advanced software, which
can independently detect, identify, and discriminate the ships.
It can choose its target autonomously.
The missile does not need to be pre-targeting before the launch.
The SIMBAD is a man-operated dual launcher for the Mistral missiles.
Before firing, this system must be manually set up, which takes 60 seconds.
Setting up and operating the SIMBAD is difficult while the corvette is cruising, and it is
entirely impossible at high speed.
So, this air defence system is only suitable for scenarios where the corvette is moored
hidden in a fjord.
The range of the infrared homing Mistral is over 6 kilometres.
The missile's speed is Mach 2.6.
It has a 2.95-kilogram high explosive warhead with high-density tungsten balls.
The 76mm Super Rapido gun is fed by a magazine, which holds 80 ready to fire ammunition.
Its rate of fire is 120 rounds per minute.
The Super Rapido is effective against a surface target at 18 kilometres and an air target
at 8 kilometres.
The 12.7mm machine guns are mounted on the Protector Sea remote-controlled weapon stations.
They are highly effective against nearby asymmetric threats.
As you can see, even as the Royal Norwegian Navy defines the Skjold-class ships as corvettes,
the combat capability of these vessels is similar to missile boats.
They have neither anti-submarine warfare nor adequate air defence warfare capability.
The SES design has certain advantages, but it is complex, which cause high operation
costs.
Only Norway, North Korea and Russia have the SES-design surface combatants today.
It is a bizarre situation.
In general terms, the missile boats should be cheap and expendable.
They are generally effective when used in large numbers.
However, the Royal Norwegian Navy has only six Skjold-class vessels.
They are quite expensive.
The main reason for this strange situation is that the Russian Navy is far from its old
glory days.
Initially, Norway had planned to replace the Hauk-class boats with a new model.
However, in the 2000s, this was no longer necessary.
Even the construction of five additional Skjold-class vessels caused heated debate in the Norwegian
Parliament.
After the USSR collapsed, it was natural to demand to spend taxpayers' money for social
policy, not on weapon systems.
Six corvettes were already insufficient to defend the 2,500-kilometre Norwegian coast.
From this perspective, their existence and the money spent on them had somewhat lost
their meaning.
So, in 2016, the Norwegian government and the Labor Party decided that the Skjold class
should be phased out around 2025.
Oslo considered that the new F-35 Lightning IIs of the Royal Norwegian Air Force could
take over part of the role of the corvettes.
In this way, a significant amount of money could be saved.
Two important developments prevented the premature retirement of the Skjold-class.
First, for almost the past two decades, the USA has focused on the Asia-Pacific region.
This situation paved the way for Moscow to make more daring moves in Europe.
Russia has not hesitated to use all kinds of instruments, including war, in the region
for its national interests.
Increasing tension on the European continent naturally caused Norway to prioritize its
defence requirements.
The second substantial development was the sinking of the frigate KNM Helge Ingstad after
colliding with the Maltese-flagged oil tanker Sola TS in 2018.
The Royal Norwegian Navy had suffered significant losses in its surface fleet.
If the corvettes would retire, it would not be possible to protect Norway's naval interests
with just four frigates.
So, Oslo has decided to extend the service life of the Skjold-class beyond 2030.
Due to their small number, these corvettes can exist as a deterrent factor rather than
a sufficient defensive element in a possible war.
But, Norway is a NATO member.
Of course, it will not be alone in such an apocalyptic scenario.
NATO's large joint fleets will soon come to the help.
All that controversy aside, the Skjold-class is undoubtedly a state-of-art surface combatant.
These corvettes are among the best in their class.
Like old-time snekkjas, the smallest variant of Viking longships, they can hit hard from
an unexpected direction any time and quickly disappear for their next sneaky attack.
Thanks for watching our video.
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