LONDON (AP) — Norway has agreed to buy at least five new British anti-submarine ships in a deal valued at 10 billion pounds ($13.5 billion) as the two nations deepen their cooperation to counter Russian operations in the seas along NATO’s northern flank.
They said Sunday that Britain will supply Norway with the Type 26 frigates, creating a joint force of eight British and at least five Norwegian ships that will operate jointly in Northern Europe. The ships are built by a group of companies led by U.K.-based BAE Systems.
“Our navies will work as one, leading the way in NATO, with this deal putting more world-class warships in the North Atlantic to hunt Russian submarines, protect our critical infrastructure, and keep both our nations secure,” British Defense Secretary John Healey said in a statement.
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has spurred the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s European members to increase defense spending amid concerns that they could be Moscow’s next target.
The Type 26 frigate is designed for anti-submarine warfare and high-intensity air defense, according to BAE. Australia and Canada have already agreed to buy variants of the Type 26 for their navies.
The deal is expected to support 4,000 jobs and 400 companies in Britain.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said the NATO member needed the frigates because it “is facing its most serious security situation since World War II.”
Norway also considered ships made by the U.S., Germany and France, but chose the U.K. because of the countries’ historic links, Støre said.
“Norway and Great Britain are close allies with common interests and very close ties,” Støre said.
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Grieshaber reported from Berlin.
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