UK to sign defense deal with Norway to counter Russia threat

LONDON - Britain said it will sign a major defense deal with Norway on Thursday, building on the Nordic country's 10 billion pound ($13 billion) purchase of UK warships at a time of heightened threats from Russia.

Below are some key details on the new agreement:

• Norway signed a deal to buy at least five frigates from Britain in September, made by BAE Systems

• UK says there has been a 30% increase in Russian vessels threatening UK waters in the past two years

• Key underwater cables carrying communications, electricity and gas between UK and Norway could be at risk

• Deal to be signed by UK defence minister John Healey and Norwegian defence minister Tore O. Sandvik later on Thursday

• Under the deal, the two countries will agree their navies can operate side-by-side in the North Atlantic

• Named the Lunna House Agreement after the Scottish headquarters of the Norwegian resistance during the Second World War

• Combined fleet of at least 13 British-built Type 26 anti-submarine frigates will be interchangeable

• UK PM Keir Starmer says deal will help protect critical infrastructure

• Frigates will patrol seas between Greenland, Iceland and UK, monitoring Russian naval activity

• Navies will share maintenance facilities, technology and equipment

• Royal Navy will adopt advanced Norwegian naval strike missiles, deal includes deeper collaboration on Sting Ray torpedoes

• UK will join Norwegian programme to develop support vessels which will act as motherships for uncrewed mine hunting and undersea warfare systems

($1 = 0.7514 pounds)

-Sarah Young/Reuters