In the context of an official visit to the Royal Navy commandos deployed at the so-called Camp Viking, the United Kingdom’s Secretary of Defense confirmed that London has decided to strengthen its military presence in the Arctic, doubling the number of military personnel stationed in Norway from 1,000 to 2,000. As reported by the defence portfolio, this will allow British troops to have a greater role in NATO’s Arctic Sentry mission, which seeks to reinforce the security of the region in the face of what is considered a growing Russian threat.
Expanding on the details provided by Secretary John Healey, the aforementioned doubling of the number of troops deployed in Norway should be completed before the stipulated three-year period concludes, which will allow British presence to be intensified gradually. He also indicated that the United Kingdom plans to lead the “Lion Protector” exercise to be carried out by the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) in the High North, which will take place next September, focusing on training personnel in the protection of critical infrastructure against potential sabotage attempts and on improving command capabilities among the parties.
In addition to that important activity, the British Ministry of Defence revealed that it will deploy around 1,500 Royal Navy commandos to participate in NATO’s “Cold Response” exercise, which will take place during the month of March. It is an event that will be staged across different regions of Norway, Finland, and Sweden, where geographical conditions are expected to allow for an intensive training program in operations conducted in fjords and mountains. As such, these activities form part of what was recommended by the most recent Strategic Defence Review, where it was established that the United Kingdom should “improve NATO’s deterrence posture in Northern Europe and the High North.”
Referring to these matters, Secretary Healey stated: “Defence demands are increasing, and Russia represents the greatest threat to the security of the Arctic and the High North since the Cold War. We see Putin rapidly reestablishing his military presence in the region, including the reopening of former Cold War bases. The United Kingdom is stepping up its efforts to protect the Arctic and the High North: doubling the number of troops we have in Norway and intensifying joint exercises with NATO allies. This year, Cold Response and Lion Protector will deploy thousands of troops in the Arctic and the North Atlantic, with the United Kingdom at the forefront. We train together, we deter together and, if necessary, we will fight together.”
Finally, it is worth noting that these developments come just months after the signing of the Lunna House Agreement between London and Oslo, through which new joint investments may be made for the acquisition of military equipment and for the development of new unmanned systems. In addition, the path is opened for the formation of an interoperable fleet of Type 26 frigates that will equip both the British Navy and its Norwegian counterpart, whose selection of the model to equip itself for the future makes it its first international customer; incorporating them from 2030 according to current plans.
*Images used for illustrative purposes
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