U.K. and Norway will mount joint naval patrols to protect undersea cables and hunt Russian submarines
-
Click here to listen to this article - Share via
- Britain and Norway signed a major defense agreement deploying 13+ warships to hunt Russian submarines and protect critical undersea infrastructure in the North Atlantic.
- The joint patrols directly address a 30% surge in Russian naval activity around U.K. waters over the last two years.
- The pact builds on Norway’s $13.4-billion frigate purchase and includes technology-sharing accords between the two nations’ defense departments.
LONDON — Britain and Norway will mount joint naval patrols to protect undersea cables from Russia, the U.K. said Thursday, as Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Norwegian counterpart Jonas Gahr Støre held talks on defense.
The U.K. government says a combined fleet of at least 13 warships will “hunt Russian submarines and protect critical infrastructure in the North Atlantic.”
It follows a 10-billion-pound ($13.4-billion) deal struck in August for Norway to buy at least five British-made frigates. Those Norwegian vessels and eight British ships will operate jointly in the seas along NATO’s northern flank.
As part of the agreement, formally signed Thursday in London by the two countries’ defense ministers, the U.K. has agreed to use Norwegian missiles for the Royal Navy’s surface fleet.
Starmer and Støre were scheduled to hold talks at the U.K. prime minister’s residence at 10 Downing Street before visiting British and Norwegian personnel at RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland, where they will meet aircraft crews that have been tracking Russian vessels. Britain says Russian naval activity around U.K. waters has increased by 30% in the last two years.
More From the Los Angeles Times
Podcasts
Taped Jan 8, 2026, a year after the Eaton Fire, this episode features Ondi Timoner. After losing her home, she began documenting the displacement and financial struggles of her neighbors, joining My Tribe Rise to help Altadena rebuild and recover.
Attorney Frank Carson defended the accused for decades. Framed for murder and later acquitted, a star witness admitted he lied. Stanislaus County paid $22.5M to settle his estate’s lawsuit.
Hear from the winner of the 1968 Caltech vs MIT electric car race. But it’s not all fresh air: smog devastates communities of color, and the Trump administration may pull the plug on California’s ability to clear its own air.
