The Royal Norwegian Navy has taken delivery of a fourth Skjold class Fast Patrol Boat. Glimt (P964) is the latest in the six-vessel series of advanced, high-speed, surface-effect-ship catamarans designed to patrol Norway’s mazy littoral waters.Although less than 50m in length and displacing only 274 tonnes fully loaded, the Skjold FPBs are equipped with eight recessed anti-ship missile launchers, a point defence Surface-to-Air missile system and a 76mm Oto Melara gun. Four gas turbines, combined with two waterjets and a pair of lift fans, provide a maximum speed of 60 knots, and the vessels have a range of 800nm at 40 knots.
Constructed from a sandwich of lightweight materials incorporating low signature coatings, flush mountings and designed with no 90-degree corners, the state-of-the-art vessels have a 90 per cent lower radar signature than the navy’s previous generation of Hauk class FPBs.
