Spy thriller in the Arctic: Britain and Norway hunt Russian submarines

Britain and Norway are launching a new defense cooperation aimed at tackling increasing Russian underwater activities in the North Atlantic and the Arctic. According to the Barents Observer, the naval forces of the two countries will operate as a single, fully interchangeable force, sharing technology, facilities, and equipment, as announced by the British Ministry of Defence. The Norwegian Ministry of Defence called the agreement "the most comprehensive defense cooperation in recent years." Its signing took place on December 4 at 10 Downing Street by British Defence Secretary John Healey and his Norwegian counterpart Tore Sandvik, in the presence of Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. Støre underlined that the increased British presence in the northeastern Arctic arc enhances the security of both Norway and the whole of Europe.

Surveillance in the North Sea: Joint missions and training

The two leaders visited the Royal Air Force Base Lossiemouth in Scotland, from where British P-8 aircraft patrol the North Sea, the Norwegian Sea, and the Barents Sea. In 2025, London and Oslo have already cooperated in critical security areas, while since February the two Defence Ministers had foreshadowed a closer partnership against Russian underwater threats. John Healey stressed that the "new era of threats" requires strong alliances, underlining that the critical infrastructure and waters of the two countries must be protected with immediate action. The joint force will patrol the North Atlantic, train in Arctic conditions, and deploy advanced detection and surveillance systems.

Underwater networks, pipelines, and the shadow Russian fleet

The surveillance of Russian activity is not new. The Russian fleet of special mission vessels and small-depth submarines, capable of underwater operations, even sabotage, has been closely monitored by analysts and media in recent years. Following the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the presence of Russian vessels near the waters of Norway and the United Kingdom increased significantly. Critical energy infrastructure is located in the North Sea, as natural gas pipelines connect the facilities of the two countries to continental Europe.

New weapons systems, joint exercises, and autonomous technology

The agreement stipulates that the United Kingdom will participate in the Norwegian program for the development of mother ships for uncrewed mine-detection and underwater combat systems, while the Royal Marines will now train in extreme cold conditions. Concurrently, the use of Norwegian naval strike missiles, Sting Ray torpedo stockpiles, joint military exercises, and the presence of both countries in the development of autonomous systems in the North Arctic are being strengthened.

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