UK, Norway agree cooperation to counter undersea threats

On May 18, The UK and Norway agreed to develop a strategic partnership to counter shared threats in the undersea domain, including threats to our undersea infrastructure.

"Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace, and Norwegian Defence Minister, Bjørn Arild Gram, signed a Statement of Intent (SOI) during a visit to the Maritime Operations Centre in Northwood today, agreeing to collaborate further on undersea capabilities to enhance North Atlantic Security," British Defence Ministry said in a statement.

"The growing use of the seabed for energy and communications purposes has resulted in increased opportunities for adversaries to threaten Western subsea critical national infrastructure, as seen through the damage of the Nordstream pipeline, where the UK and Norway have jointly increased security patrols in the region.

Building on this ongoing collaboration, this partnership will enhance the two nations’ ability to exercise and operate together and develop capabilities that will protect our shared interests in the North Sea, while simplifying the process for Allies and partners to join or complement UK and Norwegian activity," the statement notes.