The UK and Norway are poised to sign a landmark defence pact, establishing a combined naval fleet specifically designed to track Russian submarines across the North Atlantic.

Axar.az informs, citing Independent, this initiative aims to safeguard critical undersea cables, which face an escalating threat from Moscow, with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) noting a 30 per cent rise in Russian vessel sightings in UK waters over the past two years.

The announcement comes as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer hosts his Norwegian counterpart, Jonas Store, at RAF Lossiemouth in northern Scotland.

Named the Lunna House agreement, after the Shetland Isles base used by the Norwegian resistance in the Second World War, the pact is underpinned by a £10 billion UK-Norway warship deal signed in September.

Type 26 frigates, to be constructed at the BAE Systems yard in Glasgow, will form a fleet of at least 13 anti-submarine ships from both nations – with a minimum of five being Norwegian.

These warships will monitor Russian naval movements across the waters between Greenland, Iceland, and the UK, defending seabed cables and pipelines vital for British communications, electricity, and gas networks.

The agreement, to be signed by Defence Secretary John Healey and his Norwegian counterpart Tore Sandvik in Downing Street, will also see the UK join Norway’s programme to develop motherships for uncrewed mine hunting and undersea warfare systems.