A Joint UK-Norwegian Declaration on Security in the North Atlantic and Bilateral Co-operation

The Readiness Action Plan agreed at the Wales Summit in 2014 ensured that NATO remains a ready, robust and responsive alliance, geared towards addressing the full spectrum of current, and future, security challenges and threats.

We are here at Warsaw to continue the process of NATO’s adaptation by agreeing a developed defence and deterrence posture, including an enhanced Forward Presence in the East, and measures to tackle security challenges in the South: a strengthened, 360 degree approach to Alliance security with strong transatlantic unity and solidarity, as always, at its core.

The commitment of the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of Norway to collective defence and security through NATO remains as strong as ever.  The Alliance remains at the heart of both our defence policy.

The UK’s Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 and the Long Term Plan for the Norwegian Armed Forces published last month, will ensure that we – as Allies – are well configured to deal with 21^st Century challenges.

Today, we would like to highlight one aspect of this: the maritime domain and, in particular, security in the North Atlantic.

The military strategic importance of the North Atlantic is increasing. The Russian Armed Forces – and in particular the Northern Fleet – have been significantly modernized.

As maritime, northern European Allies, the UK and Norway share similar challenges.  We resolve to work together, wherever possible, to address them.

We believe we have a particular contribution to make to the common effort in NATO by helping to safeguard our freedom of operation and freedom of movement in the maritime domain, especially the transatlantic sea lines of communication.

The SDSR and Long Term Plan both invest in armed forces that will make an important contribution to NATO deterrence, defence and situational awareness.

Both nations stay on course to procure F-35 fighter aircraft.

The UK has committed to the acquisition of nine new Boeing P-8A Maritime Patrol Aircraft to provide enhanced situational awareness, and increase further the protection of the UK’s nuclear deterrent and its two new aircraft carriers.  These aircraft will be based in Scotland, and will also have an over-land surveillance capability.

Norway’s new Long Term Plan resolves to strengthen its maritime surveillance capability with a new submarine fleet and new maritime patrol aircraft.

The actions the UK and Norway are taking, particularly in terms of strengthening our – and NATO’s – situational awareness through new maritime patrol aircraft will ensure that developments in the maritime domain, and particularly in the North Atlantic, remain predictable and – therefore – stable.  They offer clear opportunities for further collaboration.

The UK and Norway will continue to work together closely in this endeavour, as in others.

 

Rt Hon Michael Fallon   MP		Mrs Ine   Eriksen-Søreide
Secretary of State   for Defence,		Minister of Defence,
United Kingdom of   Great Britain		Kingdom of Norway
and Northern Ireland

 

 

 

 

Warsaw,     July 2016