London [UK], December 5: The United Kingdom and Norway are to sign a defence pact that will see their navies operate a combined fleet of warships to hunt Russian submarines in the North Atlantic. The deal is aimed at protecting critical undersea cables which are under increasing threat from Moscow, with a 30% rise in Russian vessels sighted in UK waters in the past two years, the Ministry of Defence said.
The announcement comes as Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosts his Norwegian counterpart Jonas Store at RAF Lossiemouth in northern Scotland on Thursday. The two leaders will hear from P-8 maritime patrol crews who have been tracking Russian vessels including the spy ship Yantar, which recently pointed lasers at one of the aircraft.
The so-called Lunna House agreement - named after the Shetland Isles base used by the Norwegian resistance during the Second World War - is underpinned by a £10 billion ($13.3 billion) UK-Norway warship deal signed in September. Type 26 frigates will be constructed at the BAE Systems yard in Glasgow and will allow a fleet of at least 13 anti-submarine ships from the UK and Norway - at least five of which will be Norwegian - to operate jointly in northern Europe. (PA Media/dpa)
Source: Qatar Tribune
