“Great Britain and Norway are preparing to conclude a historic defense pact, which provides for the creation of a joint naval fleet. The main goal of the initiative will be to track Russian submarines in the North Atlantic and protect critical underwater infrastructure.”, — write: www.pravda.com.ua
Keir Starmer and Jonas Stere. Photo: Getty Images Source: The Independent
Details: The new agreement was announced during a visit by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to Lossiemouth Air Force Base in Scotland, where he met with his Norwegian counterpart, Jonas Har Stere.
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The pact was named “Lunna House agreement” (Lunna House agreement) – in honor of the base on the Shetland Islands, which was used by the Norwegian resistance movement during the Second World War.
According to the British Ministry of Defense, over the past two years, the activity of Russian vessels in the waters near the United Kingdom has increased by 30%. The new pact is designed to protect underwater cables and pipelines, the destruction of which could lead to catastrophic consequences for communication, electricity and gas networks.
The basis of the combined fleet will be modern anti-submarine frigates “Type 26”, the construction of which will be carried out at the BAE Systems shipyard in Glasgow. In total, the group will have at least 13 ships, of which at least five will belong to Norway.
In addition to the creation of a fleet, the agreement provides for Britain to join the Norwegian program to develop carrier ships for unmanned mine detection systems. Also, the Royal Navy will adopt advanced Norwegian sea attack missiles capable of hitting enemy targets at a distance of more than 100 miles (about 160 km – ed.).
The parties agreed to deepen cooperation in the use of British Stingray anti-submarine torpedoes and conduct joint military exercises. In particular, British marines will undergo training in Norway to conduct combat operations in conditions of low temperatures. The countries also plan to lead the implementation of autonomous NATO systems in the Far North.
Starmer’s direct speech: “At a time of profound global instability, with increasing numbers of Russian ships in our waters, we must work with international partners to protect our national security. This historic agreement with Norway strengthens our ability to protect the borders and critical infrastructure on which our countries depend.”
Prehistory:
- In September, Britain’s National Security Committee released a report warning that targeted attacks on underwater infrastructure could cause “catastrophic disruption” to the financial and communications systems on which the country is critically dependent.
- At the same time, it was reported that the Russian military reconnaissance ship “Amber” made a three-month voyage along the coast of Europe in search of Europe’s critical energy and Internet cables. It is equipped with modern surveillance systems for mapping and possible interception of submarine cables between NATO countries.
- In November, British Defense Secretary John Gealy announced that a Russian vessel that may be collecting information on underwater infrastructure is being monitored off the coast of Scotland.