UK to double troop deployment to Norway amid rising Arctic tensions

LONDON

British troops deployed to Norway will double from 1,000 to 2,000 over the next three years, the country's defense secretary announced on Wednesday.

John Healey confirmed the increase during a visit to Royal Marine Commandos at Camp Viking in northern Norway, as the UK steps up its presence in the Arctic and High North.

The move comes amid what the government describes as growing Russian activity in the region.

“Demands on defense are rising, and Russia poses the greatest threat to Arctic and High North security that we have seen since the Cold War. We see Putin rapidly re-establishing military presence in the region, including reopening old Cold War bases,” Healey said in a statement.

“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,” he added.

The announcement coincides with confirmation that the UK Armed Forces will play a role in NATO’s planned Arctic Sentry mission, with detailed military planning underway at NATO headquarters.

Healey is due to meet defense ministers in Brussels on Thursday to discuss the proposals.

Cold Response, Lion Protector

The UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) has also outlined major military activity in the High North.

Exercise Lion Protector, scheduled for this September, will involve air, land and naval forces training to protect critical national infrastructure from attacks and sabotage, as well as improving joint command and control capabilities.

Hundreds of personnel are expected to deploy across Iceland, the Danish Straits, and Norway.

“Cold Response and Lion Protector will this year see thousands of troops deploy across the Arctic and North Atlantic – with the UK leading the way. We train together, we deter together, and if necessary, we will fight together,” Healey said.

In March, 1,500 Royal Marine Commandos will take part in NATO’s Exercise Cold Response across Norway, Finland, and Sweden.

The exercise is designed to strengthen the allies’ ability to defend strategically important locations in challenging terrain, including fjords and mountains.

The plans follow the Lunna House 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.

The government has committed to increasing defense spending to 2.6% of GDP from 2027, describing it as the largest sustained rise since the end of the Cold War.

The Strategic Defense Review has also called for improvements to NATO’s deterrence posture in Northern Europe and the High North.

The UK government also says it will be central to NATO’s northern response as security concerns in the region grow.