HNoMS Valkyrien was built as the passenger ship MS Polarlys. The Royal Norwegian Navy bought her from Det Bergenske Dampskibsselskab for 400,000 Norwegian kroner. The ship was rebuilt as a support vessel for torpedo boats. Command was assumed on 11 May 1953. In connection with a rescue operation in 1956 in the Arctic the ship was outfitted with a Bell helicopter. She had a displacement of 1,500 tons and a top speed of 12 knots (22 km/h). She was manned with a crew of 76 and armed with one 3 inch and three 40 mm guns. The ship was decommissioned and sold in December 1963.