The two long-standing allies are set to strengthen military cooperation from the seafloor to space, with a particular focus on the North Atlantic and Arctic security.
Norway and the United Kingdom have entered into their most comprehensive defence agreement in modern times.
Signed today in London, the deal formalises significantly closer military integration between the two countries at a moment of heightened geopolitical tension in northern Europe.
According to the Norwegian government, British forces will take on an expanded role in the defence of Norway, including more frequent on-the-ground presence and deeper maritime cooperation.
The agreement covers everything from future frigates and anti-submarine operations to drone technology and rapid reinforcement in the event of crisis or conflict.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said the new partnership strengthens NATO’s northern flank at a crucial time. “It will give increased security for Norway, the United Kingdom and our allies in an unsettled world,” he said.
A Name Rooted in Wartime History
The agreement has been named after Lunna House on Shetland, an important base for the “Shetland Bus” during the Second World War.
Norwegian resistance fighters and the British Special Operations Executive used the remote estate as a staging point for clandestine missions across the North Sea, providing a symbolic link between past and present cooperation.
From its windows, crews once watched the fishing vessels that carried agents, supplies and refugees between occupied Norway and the UK.
The government says the legacy of this shared wartime effort forms the foundation for today’s renewed partnership.
Strengthening Defence From the North Sea to the High North
Defence Minister Tore O. Sandvik, who signed the agreement alongside his British counterpart John Healey, highlighted that cooperation will now stretch across “all defence domains, from the seabed to outer space.”
Key elements of the agreement include:
Greater British military presence in Norway. Royal Marines will train and operate more frequently on Norwegian soil, reinforcing Norway’s northern defence posture.
Potential pre-positioning of British equipment. The two countries will assess whether British military materials and ammunition should be stored in Norway.
Shared infrastructure for UK troop deployments. Both sides will consider establishing facilities that can receive British reinforcements quickly during crises.
Joint development of advanced drones and autonomous systems. These will be designed to patrol the northern maritime areas alongside ships and aircraft.
New low-cost surveillance drones for the North Atlantic and Arctic. Drawing on lessons from support operations in Ukraine, the partners aim to expand affordable long-range monitoring capabilities.
Closer cooperation on anti-submarine warfare. Both nations intend to procure future frigates that are as technically identical as possible, allowing the navies to operate almost seamlessly together.
Sandvik noted that activity from Russian forces in the North Atlantic and Barents Sea has increased in recent years. “We know Russia has capabilities that could pose a strategic threat to Western subsea infrastructure,” he said. Strengthened Norwegian–British surveillance is intended to counter this risk.
Cooperation Already Under Way at Sea
The agreement builds on extensive practical collaboration already taking place. During the eight-month exercise Operation Highmast, a British naval helicopter was fully integrated into operations aboard the Norwegian frigate KNM Roald Amundsen. It's a first for both navies.
Norwegian and British crews trained side by side for months, sailing as far as Japan and the South China Sea under the leadership of the UK’s HMS Prince of Wales, which has now entered NATO command.
On the frigate’s helicopter deck, a Norwegian lieutenant described the experience to NRK as “a great learning process for both sides,” while the exercise demonstrated how smoothly joint operations can function in practice.
Støre Meets Starmer As Defence Ties Deepen
While the defence ministers signed the agreement in London, Støre met his British counterpart, Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
The leaders then visited the Royal Air Force base at Lossiemouth in Scotland, where Norwegian pilots are currently training on Poseidon P-8 maritime surveillance aircraft, used by both nations to monitor the North Sea and North Atlantic.
The visit included a joint exercise focusing on North Sea surveillance, showcasing how the strengthened partnership works on a day-to-day basis.
A New Era for Nordic–British Security
The Lunna House Agreement represents a significant step forward in Nordic–British defence ties, giving both nations a clearer ability to respond jointly to developments in the Arctic and North Atlantic.
As Sandvik noted, the long-term ambition is to build a combined Norwegian-British frigate fleet capable of operating “completely seamlessly”, sharing vessels, crews and technologies while training more frequently in shared northern waters.
For Norway, the agreement marks both a deepening of a trusted relationship and a strategic reinforcement of national security in a more unpredictable era.
