By Kevin Akor
LONDON (chatnewstv.com) — Britain will double the number of its troops deployed to Norway over the next three years, strengthening defenses in the Arctic and High North as concern grows over Russia’s expanding military activity in the region, the government said Wednesday.
Defence Secretary John Healey confirmed during a visit to Royal Marine Commandos at Camp Viking in northern Norway that the British contingent will increase from about 1,000 personnel to 2,000, part of a broader effort to bolster NATO’s northern flank.
“Russia poses the greatest threat to Arctic and High North security that we have seen since the Cold War,” Healey said.
“We see Putin rapidly re-establishing military presence in the region, including reopening old Cold War bases.”
The move comes as the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force, a coalition of northern European nations, prepares for major military activity in the High North this year. In September, the group will conduct Exercise Lion Protector, deploying air, land and naval forces to protect critical infrastructure, counter sabotage and improve joint command and control.
Hundreds of troops are expected to deploy across Iceland, the Danish Straits and Norway as part of the exercise, which British officials say is aimed at boosting deterrence in the Arctic, High North and North Atlantic.
Healey said British forces will also take part in NATO’s planned Arctic Sentry mission, with detailed military planning already underway at the alliance’s headquarters. He is due to meet other NATO defence ministers in Brussels on Thursday to discuss the proposals.
“The UK is stepping up to protect the Arctic and High North — doubling the number of troops we have in Norway and scaling up joint exercises with NATO allies,” Healey said.
“We train together, we deter together, and if necessary, we will fight together.”
In the near term, about 1,500 Royal Marine Commandos will deploy to Norway in March for NATO’s Exercise Cold Response, a large-scale drill across Norway, Finland and Sweden focused on defending strategically important fjords and mountain terrain.
The government said the deployments build on a defence agreement signed with Norway in December, which will see the two countries jointly operate a fleet of submarine-hunting Type 26 warships, expand Arctic training and pre-position British military equipment in Norway for future crises.
Britain has pledged its largest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War, aiming to raise military outlays to 2.6% of gross domestic product from 2027.
Officials said Russia’s growing activity in the Arctic, High North and North Atlantic has fundamentally altered the region’s security environment, positioning the UK — with more than five decades of Arctic operations — at the center of NATO’s response alongside allies including Norway, Sweden and Finland.
