“Russia’s underwater clandestine service, manning its covert submarine fleet and specialist naval commandos, is one of the most secret Putin has, and Kremlin submarines are believed to have made increasingly frequent covert incursions in the region”
Protecting Britain’s northern flank has become hugely important to the UK in recent years, mainly because of the soaring threat from Russia.
Kremlin submarines are believed to have made increasingly frequent covert incursions in the region, mainly to map out access to UK sites and underwater cabling.
In recent years these submarines have lurked off the coast at an increasing rate, partly to test whether they can be detected and also to see what the UK would do about it.
But there are far more pressing and sinister reasons for the deep-sea plotting by the Kremlin as the UK and Europe depend enormously on cables linking the continent and the US.
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These cables stretch from Europe to UK, Ireland and on to North America and host millions of financial transitions and secure communications.
In times of war, although there are contingencies available, blowing them up or using Moscow’s version of the Special Boat Service – Naval Spetsnaz – commandos could be disastrous.
Spetsaz are known to have practised how to drop into the sea from submarines and sabotage underwater cables, especially with the UK in mind.
Russia is also suspected of perfecting domesday bombs which could wipe out a coastline of an enemy country by creating tsunami like waves caused by underwater explosions.
These weapons could, it is suspected, be planted off the coast, primed and then left dormant, only to be released by remote control during times of war.
It is not known how far advanced these weapons are.
But Russia’s underwater clandestine service, manning its covert submarine fleet and specialist naval commandos is one of the most secret the Kremlin has.
Also, access to the North Atlantic is also becoming increasingly vital to trade, as the result of climate change and melting ice is opening up new maritime passages between countries.
Those will open up at an increasing rate in the coming years.
The North Atlantic will for the first time in modern history become a crucial trade and military passageway for countries to exert their power and economic deals.
Guarding them means such a deal between Norway and the UK has become absolutely crucial to the UK’s security and global power.
Norway is a founding member of NATO and as such already has very tight military links to the UK, not least with our Royal Marines Commandos, who train there all the time.
During the Cold War training for the cold and harsh climates of the Scandinavian countries was essential and has become increasingly so in recent years.
Britain’s Type-26 frigates are advanced anti-submarine warships incredibly well-equipped in detecting Russia’s underwater threat and shadowing it.
It is also equipped with air defence gear and general maritime warfare capabilities and is versatile enough to go to war at short notice.
