Skjold-class Littoral Combat Craft are now "Corvettes"

Norway's futuristic, high-speed, next-generation surface-effect-ship naval craft are no longer being called "MTBs" or "FPBs" but now are officially designated to be "corvettes" -- says Royal Norwegian Navy Inspector General Rear Admiral Jan Eirik Finseth.

And these "corvettes" are here to stay: Norway's Partliament will decide next month on the country's next multi-year defense plan, and what seems certain is that Oslo will hold on to the six Umoe Mandal-built craft, despite last year's earlier recommendation by Chief of Defense General Sverre Diesen to not introduce them into the operational fleet.

"This was based on certain budget assumptions; once it became clear that the budget would in fact be higher, everybody agreed that the Skjold-class could and should be reinstated," says Adm. Finseth.

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