The Oslo class frigate is a Royal Norwegian Navy frigate design, based on the US Navy Dealey class destroyer escorts. The forward hull was customized to suit Norwegian sea conditions better (higher freeboard) and several sub-systems were European built.
All ships were built at the Navy Main Yard in Horten, Norway between 1964 and 1966. The construction of the vessels was part of the Navy rebuilding program, approved by the Norwegian government in 1960. Half of the project expenses were funded by the United States as a part of the Mutual Defense Assistance Program (MDAP) (a program that ran from when it was passed by the Congress in October 1949 until 1967–68).
All ships were built at the Navy Main Yard in Horten, Norway between 1964 and 1966. The construction of the vessels was part of the Navy rebuilding program, approved by the Norwegian government in 1960. Half of the project expenses were funded by the United States as a part of the Mutual Defense Assistance Program (MDAP) (a program that ran from when it was passed by the Congress in October 1949 until 1967–68).
In the late 1970s, the class received new armament, most notably Penguin, RIM-7 Sea Sparrow and Mark 32 torpedo launchers. Another modernization was carried out in the 1980s.
During 1995 and 1996, after HNoMS Oslo experienced an engine failure, and subsequently sank after sailing in heavy weather, the rest of the class was once again modernized. The hulls were strengthened, which in turn increased the displacement with 200 tonnes.
All of the Oslo class are now retired, with HNOMS Narvik preserved as a museum ship. The Oslo class were replaced by the Fridtjof Nansen class frigates. This replacement started in mid-2006.
| General characteristics | |
|---|---|
| Type: | Frigate |
| Displacement: | 1,735 long tons (1,763 t) standard 2,100 long tons (2,134 t) full load |
| Length: | 96.6 m (316 ft 11 in) |
| Beam: | 11.2 m (36 ft 9 in) |
| Draft: | 5.5 m (18 ft 1 in) |
| Propulsion: | Twin steam boilers, one high pressure and one low pressure steam turbine, 20,000 hp (14,914 kW) |
| Speed: | 25 knots (29 mph; 46 km/h) |
| Range: | 3,900 nmi (7,200 km) at 15 kn (17 mph; 28 km/h) |
| Complement: | 120 (129 max) officers and men |
| Sensors and processing systems: | • Siemens/Plessey AWS-9 radar • Medium frequency Thomson-CSF Sintra/Simrad TSM 2633 combined hull and VDS active sonar • High frequency Terne III active sonar |
| Electronic warfare and decoys: | • 4 × Mark 36 SRBOC chaff launchers |
| Armament: | • 2 × 3 in (76 mm) cannon • 1 × Bofors 40mm/70 anti-aircraft gun • 2 × 20 mm Rheinmetall anti-aircraft guns • 2 × 12.7 mm anti-aircraft guns • 6 × Penguin SSMs (usually not mounted) • 1 × 8-cell Raytheon RIM-7M Sea Sparrow Mk 29 SAM system • 6 × Kongsberg Terne ASW rocket-thrown depth charges • 2 × triple 324 mm (12.8 in) Mark 32 torpedo tubes (Sting Ray torpedoes) |
