The UK and Norway have expanded joint military operations in the Arctic Circle, allowing Royal Marines to conduct year-round deployments in Norway following the recent Lunna House agreement.
The arrangement strengthens UK commitments to NATO’s northern flank, with the Commando Force set to operate across Norway’s challenging terrain and emphasises readiness for potential conflict in the region.
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The Royal Marines will continue to lead British activities in the area, a statement from the Royal Navy said.
Last year, the UK established Camp Viking near Øverbygd as a permanent base for these activities, facilitating the stationing of 1,500 personnel and equipment including all-terrain vehicles and helicopters from Commando Helicopter Force.
These deployments will see UK forces operating alongside Norwegian troops, as well as marines from the Netherlands.
The collaboration will culminate in Exercise Cold Response in 2026, which is the largest military exercise hosted by Norway and aims to demonstrate NATO’s collective operational strength across fjords and mountain environments.
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By GlobalDataIn addition to ongoing deployments, both the UK and Norway are investing in military capabilities such as uncrewed mine-hunting systems, undersea warfare technology, autonomous underwater vehicles, and an interchangeable fleet of Type 26 frigates.
In August last year, Norway confirmed it would adopt the British Type 26 anti-submarine warfare frigate after a selection process that began in December 2024.
30 Commando Information Exploitation Group commanding officer lieutenant colonel Chris Armstrong said: “The UK Commando Force is stepping up readiness to war-fight alongside our allies in the High North. As NATO’s cold-weather specialists, we are ruthlessly focussed on mission rehearsals with our closest partners. Fusing intelligence, bold commando tactics, and cutting-edge technology – we remain poised for operations.”
The UK Commando Force has undergone modernisation over recent years, incorporating AI-enabled targeting systems, multi-domain fire capabilities, and uncrewed surface vessels.
The implementation of these technologies is intended to provide NATO with operational advantages within the region.
A previous agreement forged between the UK and Norway in 2023 established a strategic partnership focused on countering shared threats, including safeguarding undersea infrastructure.
