It is a class of ships purpose-built for the Norwegian Coast Guard with a secondary role as wartime naval escorts.

[3] As of November 2023, only Nordkapp remains operational, having been transferred to the Navy to fulfill a mine warfare command role.

Due to the fact that these vessels may serve as wartime naval escorts they have provisions to carry additional weapons and sensors, such as anti-ship missiles and torpedoes.

A fisheries protection vessel named Nordkapp served the Royal Norwegian Navy from 1937 to 1954, including distinguished World War II service.

[9] NoCGV Nordkapp was transferred to the Navy's mine warfare branch in November 2022, and changed her prefix to HNoMS.