UK and Norwegian Navies to Work Together to Counter Russian Submarine Threat

The navies of the United Kingdom and Norway will cooperate to counter the Russian submarine threat and protect underwater infrastructure in the North Atlantic Ocean.

The signing of the agreement between London and Oslo, which is being called “historic” and the first of its kind, was announced during a joint visit by Prime Ministers Keir Starmer and Jonas Gahr Støre to a British air base where Norwegian military personnel are also on duty.

The agreement envisages joint patrols by the British and Norwegian navies in the North Atlantic, consisting of at least 13 ships and autonomous systems.

Their key task will be to monitor the activities of Russian submarines and protect the critical maritime infrastructure of both countries.

The patrols will be carried out in the strategic area between Greenland, Iceland, and Britain, monitoring the activities of Russian warships and the security of underwater communications that run there.

The ships of both fleets will operate as a single team, with shared maintenance facilities, technology and fully interoperable forces.

“The new Lunna House agreement (named after the Scottish headquarters of the Norwegian Resistance during World War II) provides for the Royal Navy and the Royal Norwegian Navy to launch a rotating fleet of British-built Type-26 frigates. This step was preceded by a 30% increase in the number of Russian vessels threatening British waters over the past two years,” the statement said.

The mission will involve eight British and at least five Norwegian ships.

“This agreement demonstrates Britain’s willingness to invest more in European security and, along with agreements with Germany and France, shows that the government is rebuilding close alliances that are vital to Britain’s security in an increasingly dangerous world,” the communiqué says.

The document also provides for

• Britain’s joining the Norwegian program to develop carrier ships for maritime drones;
• training of the British military in Norway to prepare for operations in the harsh winter climate and organization of joint war games;
• arming the British Navy with advanced Norwegian naval missiles;
• deepening cooperation in the production of Sting Ray torpedoes;
• the leading role of both countries in the implementation of NATO’s autonomous systems in the far north.

In June, a Russian Navy warship openly escorted sanctioned shadow fleet tankers through European waters and the English Channel.

Thus, the Russian Navy is already openly protecting the transit of its oil in European waters.