Royal Marines have arrived in Norway as part of a new UK–Norway security agreement aimed at strengthening defence in the High North amid growing concerns over Russian activity.
Around 150 Royal Marines from Somerset, including personnel from 40 Commando based in Taunton, were deployed to Camp Viking in northern Norway last week. It marks the unit’s first return to the country since 2020 and reinforces the UK’s long-standing role in cold weather warfare.
The deployment follows the signing of the Lunna House Agreement in December, a new bilateral deal designed to protect critical undersea infrastructure, including cables that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) says are increasingly under threat from Moscow.
Cold weather operations resume
The commandos will operate from allied ships and landing craft, training for potential combat operations in what the MoD describes as one of the world’s most challenging environments.
In total, the UK is deploying 1,500 personnel to Norway, with 150 coming from Taunton alone.
The MoD said the agreement was prompted by a 30% increase in Russian vessels threatening UK waters over the past two years, highlighting growing security concerns in the North Atlantic and Arctic regions.
Camp Viking and NATO exercises
Camp Viking, the UK Commando Force’s operations hub, was established in 2023 in the village of Øverbygd. From there, Royal Marines will operate across northern Norway’s coastlines and mountainous terrain.
The deployment will also see the commandos take part in Exercise Cold Response, Norway’s largest military exercise, scheduled for 2026. The Royal Navy said the exercise would demonstrate “the unity of NATO and the ability of the alliance to deter threats in the high north”.
‘Ruthlessly focused’
Lieutenant Colonel Chris Armstrong, commanding officer of 30 Commando Information Exploitation Group, said the deployment underlined the UK’s specialist role within NATO.
“As NATO’s cold-weather specialists, we are ruthlessly focused on mission rehearsals with our closest partners,” he said.
“Fusing intelligence, bold commando tactics, and cutting-edge technology, we remain poised for operations.”
The arrival of Royal Marines in Norway signals a renewed emphasis on northern defence cooperation as the UK and its allies seek to counter growing geopolitical pressure in the region.
