The UK and Norway announced a new defense pact that will place their navies on joint patrols in the North Atlantic to counter rising Russian submarine activity in the region.
London said the move follows a sharp increase in Russian vessels approaching UK waters over the past two years.
Combined fleet of 13 frigates to track subs, guard undersea cables
The deal, known as the Lunna House Agreement, will link a combined fleet of at least 13 Type-26 anti-submarine frigates. Eight will come from the UK’s Royal Navy and at least five from Norway. The ships will work with autonomous systems to track submarines and protect underwater cables and pipelines.
The agreement was unveiled during Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Støre’s visit to RAF Lossiemouth. UK officials highlighted recent monitoring of the Russian intelligence vessel Yantar near the edge of UK waters north of Scotland.
UK Defense Secretary John Healey and his Norwegian counterpart Tore O. Sandvik will sign the pact in London. They will then travel to Portsmouth to meet personnel working on a joint UK-Norway initiative that supports Ukraine’s maritime forces.
Patrols to cover Greenland-Iceland-UK gap used by Russian subs
The two countries will share maintenance facilities, technology, and equipment to allow their frigates to operate as one force. The ships will patrol the routes between Greenland, Iceland, and the UK, an area central to Russian naval movements into the North Atlantic.
Pact includes Arctic training, torpedo development, uncrewed mine-hunters
Year-round Arctic training for Royal Marines, joint wargaming, and deeper cooperation on torpedoes and naval strike missiles are also included. The UK will join Norway’s program to develop support vessels for uncrewed mine-hunting and undersea systems.
London says the pact is part of a wider effort to rebuild defense ties with European partners and respond to increased Russian military activity near NATO territory.
