Norway receives final patrol boat

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PARIS, April 30 (UPI) -- French shipbuilder DCNS, together with Norwegian partners, has delivered a Skjold class fast patrol boat to the Norwegian navy.

The boat was the sixth and final vessel produced for Norway under which DCNS was the combat system design authority and co-supplier.

The fast patrol boats are about 164 feet long and designed specifically for maritime safety and security missions in Norway's littoral waters. The vessels are each armed with eight anti-ship missiles and a 76mm gun.

The communication systems and sensor suites onboard the vessels are compatible for NATO-led operations.

DCNS's Norwegian partners for the vessels were Umoe Mandal and Kongsberg Defense and Aerospace, through the Skjold Prime Consortium.

The first of the six vessels, P961-Storm, was delivered to the Norwegian navy in September 2010 and the second, the P962-Skudd the following month. The third was delivered in 2011 and the fourth and fifth last year.

Under a recent, separate contract DCNS will provide follow-on technical support of the SENIT 2000 Combat Management System on the six Skjold vessels.