Lunna House Pact: UK and Norway Forge Naval Alliance to Protect the North Sea from Russian Submarines

UK and Norway Sign Lunna House Agreement To Strengthen North Sea Security

Britain and Norway have formalised a defence pact aimed at countering increased Russian naval activity in the North Sea, the U.K. government announced on Thursday.

Under the Lunna House Agreement, the Royal Navy and the Royal Norwegian Navy will be able to operate an interchangeable fleet of British-built Type 26 frigates, improving joint patrols and interoperability across the North Atlantic.

The British government said the move responds to a roughly 30% rise in Russian vessels detected near U.K. waters over the past two years. Officials expressed particular concern that some of these ships could pose a threat to undersea communications cables and the oil and gas pipelines that connect Britain with Scandinavia.

U.K. Defence Secretary John Healey and Norwegian Defence Minister Tore O. Sandvik signed the agreement at 10 Downing Street, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosted Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre at RAF Lossiemouth in northern Scotland to meet service personnel operating alongside their Norwegian counterparts.

Crew from P-8 maritime patrol aircraft briefed the leaders after tracking several Russian vessels in U.K. waters, including the intelligence ship Yantar, which was detected near the edge of U.K. waters north of Scotland last month. The Yantar—operated by Russia's Ministry of Defence but described by Moscow as an oceanic research vessel—has been accused, allegedly, of pointing lasers at RAF pilots and is suspected of mapping undersea cables.

Central to the pact is a shipbuilding programme: eight new Type 26 frigates for the U.K. and five for Norway. The U.K. government said the programme will sustain more than 4,000 high-skilled British jobs and highlight British shipbuilding capabilities on the global stage.

Beyond shipbuilding, the agreement permits joint war games, shared use of U.K.-built Sting Ray torpedoes, and Royal Marines training in Norway for operations in sub-zero conditions. The newly procured ships will monitor activity between the U.K., Norway and Iceland and help defend critical maritime infrastructure.

“At this time of profound global instability, as more Russian ships are being detected in our waters, we must work with international partners to protect our national security,” Prime Minister Keir Starmer said. “This historic agreement with Norway strengthens our ability to protect our borders and the critical infrastructure our nations depend on. Through joint navy cooperation in the North Atlantic, we're boosting security, supporting thousands of U.K. jobs, and showcasing Britain's world-class shipbuilding on the global stage.”

The pact is named for Lunna House in the Shetland Isles, which served as the headquarters for the Norwegian resistance during World War II.