Britain and Norway have unveiled a new defense pact under which their navies will jointly operate a fleet of warships to “hunt Russian submarines” in the North Atlantic, the UK government confirmed Thursday.
The agreement is designed to safeguard critical undersea infrastructure, including cables and pipelines that Western officials warn are increasingly vulnerable to Russian interference.
Key Details of the Pact
Britain’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) reports sightings of Russian vessels in UK waters have risen 30% in the past two years.
Norway previously announced the purchase of five Type-26 frigates from Britain for £10 billion ($13 billion).
Under the pact, the two nations will operate a fleet of 13 British-built frigates on an interchangeable basis.
The ships will patrol waters between Greenland, Iceland, and the UK, defending vital communications, electricity, and gas infrastructure.
The announcement coincided with a visit by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre to a Royal Air Force base in northern Scotland.
Starmer emphasized the urgency of the pact: “At this time of profound global instability, as more Russian ships are being detected in our waters, we must work with international partners to protect our national security.”
Rising Concerns
Last month, UK Defense Minister John Healey accused Russia of dangerous behavior after its military ship Yantar entered British waters for the second time this year and allegedly directed lasers at RAF pilots.
Britain and NATO allies have voiced growing alarm over suspected sabotage of undersea telecom and power cables in recent months.
Experts and politicians accuse Moscow of waging a hybrid war against Western nations, most of which back Ukraine following Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
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