UK to Acquire Three Norwegian-Designed Mine-Hunting Motherships for Royal Navy

By ASR Newsdesk · 13 Nov 2026, 03:00 UTC

The UK Ministry of Defence will acquire three Offshore Support Vessels, with options for three more, to serve as motherships for uncrewed mine-hunting systems. The vessels will be based on the Norwegian P1118 design and are intended to enhance the Royal Navy's mine-hunting capabilities, improve safety by keeping sailors further from danger, and support anti-submarine warfare on NATO's northern flank. This acquisition is part of a broader UK-Norway defence partnership and represents a significant investment in modernizing the UK's mine countermeasures.