The KNUD RASMUSSEN Arctic Offshore Patrol Vessel is best described as a whitebeam “hybrid arctic working horse with world-wide capability”. The vessel class is designed with focus on affordability with maximum built- in flexibility and can accommodate a wide range of missions worldwide. The KNUD RASMUSSEN CLASS is mainly operated in the North Atlantic Ocean and is primarily optimised for the following missions:

• Surveillance and sovereignty enforcement
• Collective defence (Greenland)
• Search and rescue fisheries protection
• Environmental protection
• Deployment of oil booms
• Icebreaking
• Hydrographic survey
• Container-based arctic research
• Transport
• Support for local authorities

The KNUD RASMUSSEN CLASS is designed for worldwide operation and can participate as part of a coalition in crisis management tasks in various forms:

• Command platform for a small task group (TG), e.g. an MCM TG
• Peace support and humanitarian operations where vessels of this size would fit the whole spectrum of enforcement operations to counter terrorism, piracy and global crime
• The vessels are designed and built according to the rules of DNVGL naval code and comply with the most common NATO STANAGS

The vessels have one citadel and are fitted with a countermeasure wash-down system. Seakeeping and manoeuvrability were in focus in the design, and numerous tests in different test tanks resulted in ships with very high sustainability and excellent icebreaking capability. The standard weapons of the KNUD RASMUSSEN CLASS can be supplemented with STANFLEX mission modules in three container positions. The helicopter deck is prepared for containerised research laboratories and transport of 20’ ISO containers. The three vessels in the KNUD RASMUSSEN CLASS were built by the Danish shipyard Karstensens Shipyard based on OMT design.