Royal Norwegian Navy Receives Second Skjold Coastal Corvette-Kystkorvett

Regarded as the fastest warships in the world, with speeds over 60 knots / 110 km/h, the Royal Norwegian Navy officially received its second Skjold corvette, P-962 KNM Skudd on Oct. 28, 2010.

Built by a  French-Norwegian consortium – DCNS, Umoe Mandal and Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace the Skjold class patrol boats (skjold means “shield” in Norwegian) is a new class of superfast, large stealth missile craft, formerly known as MTBs (missile torpedo boats). Characterized by its high speed, reduced signatures, small size, heavy weapon load and its littoral combat capability, the Royal Norwegian Navy officially labeled them as coastal corvettes (kystkorvett) because their seaworthiness is seen as comparable to corvettes.

An important capability of the P-962 KNM Skudd is its covert operational capability in littoral warfare, particular for Norway’s coastal islands and fjords. The P-962 is intended to provide the Norwegian forces with the capability to carry out surveillance and engage hostile forces from a close distance while remaining undetected.

Interesting Details:

• The Skjold-class is an air cushion catamaran – Surface Effect Ship which, with a waterjet propulsion, provides high speed and maneuverability.
• To ensure stealth capabilities, anechoic coatings of radar absorbent materials (RAM) have been used in the load-bearing structures over large areas of the ship.
• The U.S. Navy and Coast Guard expressed interest in the design and leased the P960 for a period of one year, from 2001 until 2002. During that time it was operated by a 14-man Norwegian crew out of Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek.

Norwegian Navy Patrol Vessel P-961 KNM Storm

Fact Sheets:

Skjold Fact Sheet – RNN
Naval Technology Fact Sheet

Sources:
DCNS
Defensa.com
CAMTO – Russia
Brahmand.com