The UK and Norway have signed a new defence agreement to protect critical infrastructure from Russian submarines by enabling their navies to jointly operate in the North Atlantic.
Dubbed the Lunna House Agreement, the new pact was signed by UK Defence Secretary John Healey and Norwegian Defence Minister Tore O. Sandvik at 10 Downing Street on 4 December 2025.
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The agreement introduces an interchangeable fleet of Type-26 anti-submarine warfare frigates to patrol areas around Greenland, Iceland, and the UK.
Under the terms of the agreement, the Royal Navy and Royal Norwegian Navy (RNN) will deploy eight British and at least five Norwegian Type-26 frigates.
This move comes after a 30% spike in Russian vessels threatening UK waters over the last two years, a statement from the UK Ministry of Defence said.
The new joint fleet will focus on monitoring Russian naval movements and defending underwater cables and pipelines that are essential for communications, electricity, and gas supply.
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By GlobalDataBoth countries agreed to share maintenance facilities, technology and equipment, allowing for rapid, coordinated deployment.
The Lunna House Agreement builds on a £10bn deal signed in September 2025 for British-built Type-26 frigates, which has been described as the largest warship contract in UK history.
The deal supports more than 4,000 skilled jobs in British shipbuilding.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “This historic agreement with Norway strengthens our ability to protect our borders and the critical infrastructure our nations depend on.
“Through joint navy cooperation in the North Atlantic, we’re boosting security, supporting thousands of UK jobs, and showcasing Britain’s world-class shipbuilding on the global stage.”
In addition to joint frigate operations, the Lunna House Agreement includes UK participation in Norway’s programme to build motherships for uncrewed mine hunting and undersea warfare systems.
It also includes a year-round Royal Marine training in Norway for operations in sub-zero conditions, adoption by the Royal Navy of advanced Norwegian naval strike missiles. In addition, it covers deeper collaboration on Sting Ray torpedoes to boost munitions stockpiles, and joint wargaming exercises.
The UK and Norway will also lead NATO efforts to adopt autonomous systems in northern waters.
“Through this Lunna House Agreement, we will patrol the North Atlantic as one, train together in the Arctic, and develop the advanced equipment that will keep our citizens safe now and into the future. We are stepping up on European security and delivering on our NATO-first plan,” John Healey said.
In August 2025, Norway selected the British Type 26 anti-submarine warfare (ASW) frigate to replace the RNN’s legacy Fridtjof Nansen-class fleet.
