Nansen class has a full-load displacement of 5,290 tons, with anti-submarine warfare as its main task. Other tasks include defending Norway's territorial waters, economic seas and marine resources, or participating in international peacekeeping and humanitarian disaster relief operations. The hull layout of Nansen class is quite similar to the new generation of Spanish Alvaro Bazin class frigates, but it does not have regional air defense capability, so Nansen class can be regarded as a simplified version of F- 100. Like F- 100, Nansen class is also built with modular technology. The whole ship consists of 24 modules, divided into 13 watertight compartments, and the hull (excluding superstructure) has 5 decks. Nansen class hull design pays great attention to stability, stealth and anti-war damage ability, and adopts various stealth technologies similar to F- 100 frigate, so that the noise generated by hull navigation and propeller is minimized.

The crew of the whole ship is only 120 people, and the living space on board can accommodate 146 people. Therefore, this class of ships still has extra space for humanitarian rescue, refugee accommodation, maritime medical care and other purposes. In order to meet the needs of humanitarian/medical assistance, there is a relatively complete infirmary on board. Nansenban's living space is still relatively comfortable. Principal officials have their own cabins (including bathroom equipment). Junior officers and warrant officers were placed in a double deck cabin. Officers and men live in a hut for four people, and full-time soldiers live in a hut for six people. In addition, the accommodation design also takes into account the accommodation of female personnel, and up to 20% of female officers and men can be deployed. There are also two gyms, three party halls, a library and a computer recreation room for officers and men. Nansen class has a comprehensive bridge system of the Norwegian maritime system in Kangsburg, and the duty officer on the bridge can carry out various navigation operations and engine monitoring functions through the centralized display console. Under normal circumstances, there is no need for personnel to be on duty in the engine room of the ship, and the personnel on board only need to operate and monitor various marine engine systems on board through the Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS). There are two Litton navigation radars on board, and an RSR-2 10N aircraft search/helicopter control radar made in South Africa is added after service. In order to cope with the cold climate in the Arctic Ocean, Nansen Class adopts a fully enclosed bridge. Both sides of the bridge extend to the edge of the superstructure and protrude slightly, and there are large lateral and oblique viewing windows on both sides.

Nansen class is equipped with an integrated weapon system based on Aegis combat system, also known as MSIFC, developed by Norway, connected with SPY- 1F phased array radar, and connected with various weapons and fire control subsystems on board through ATM technology network. SPY- 1F is a reduced version of SPY- 1D, with small volume, light weight and low output power. Each antenna has only 1856 subarray, and all four antennas are installed in a large tower structure behind the bridge, which is very similar to the Alvaro Bazin class frigate. However, after SPY- 1F was developed, the volume and weight of the system were larger than originally expected, which forced Nansen class hull to be lengthened. The main subsystem also includes MSI-2005F anti-submarine warfare system, which integrates active/passive sonar and active/passive towed sonar.

Nansen class is equipped with Sachim Vigy-20 integrated photoelectric and infrared detection system to provide passive detection capability. In terms of communication, Nansen integrated communication control system integrates American LINK-116 data link, SHF and UHF communication equipment, and will be included in Link-22 in the future. In electronic warfare, Nansen class is equipped with CS-370 1 Tactical Radar Surveillance System (TRSS) developed by condor Systems Company, which integrates the functions of electronic support (ESM) and radar alarm reception (RWR). The decoy launching system is Terma DL- 12T, and the caliber is 130mm. The decoy used includes jamming enemy missiles. The main weapon of Nansen class is MK-4 1 vertical launching system at the B gun position at the bow of the ship. This space can accommodate up to four groups of 8-pack MK-4 1, but the Norwegian Navy decided to use only 1 group and equip four puffin ESSM ***32 short-range air defense missiles. The fire control task of ESSM missile is carried out by two sets of MK-82 integrated command systems made in Norway (other Nansen-class armed forces of IDG include an Otto Melella 76mm naval gun (firing rate 120 rounds/min, using stealth tower shell), eight new-generation NSM anti-ship missiles (originally intended to use American harpoon anti-ship missiles) located behind the tower main mast, and two 324mm twin torpedo launchers.

Under standard circumstances, Nansen class will be equipped with two sets of four-unit NSM anti-ship missile launchers, which can be increased to three or four sets (12~ 16) when necessary, and six aerial NSM can be stored in the hangar for NH-90 ship-borne helicopters. As for the A position of the bow where Otto Melella's 76 mm naval gun is installed, there is also room for replacing the MK-45 five-inch naval gun; In addition, the ship has reserved space for installing dense arrays, which can accommodate machine gun systems with a caliber of less than 40mm, and if necessary, a deep-water bomb launcher can be installed at the stern. There is a hangar at the tail of Nansen class ship. The hangar is large enough to operate a 15 ton helicopter. Actually, it belongs to a 10 ton NH-90 helicopter made by Germany and France.