The Fridtjof Nansen Class frigate are the main surface combatant ships of the Royal Union Navy. The ships are named after famous Norwegian explorers, with the lead ship of the class bearing the name of Fridtjof Nansen, the Norwegian scientist, explorer and humanitarian. Five ships were ordered from Spanish shipbuilder Navantia before the formation of the Union and 15 more were ordered before 2003. (5 units to Navantia and 10 to STX Europe.)