A NATO naval group has entered the Barents Sea, crossing Norway’s North Cape on August 29. The formation is led by Norwegian frigate Thor Heyerdal, accompanied by a logistics vessel and two U.S. Navy ships.
Before heading north, the group sailed alongside the USS Gerald R. Ford strike group, the largest aircraft carrier in service.
In an interview with Norwegian newspaper The Barents Observer, Norwegian military spokesperson Brynjar Stordal highlighted the need for allied force projection in the Barents Sea. Within the larger context of the ongoing war in Ukraine, Europe’s subsequent re-armament, and the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO, such moves are intended to send a clear signal to Russian military planners.
Following their rapid entry into NATO as a response to Russia’s “special military operation”, the Finnish and Swedish governments have embarked on ambitious plans for re-armament and mobilisation. On August 28, the Finnish government submitted to Parliament a proposal to raise the reservist age limit to 65, an increase from the current 60.
This proposal was formulated with an aim to increase “the range of options for assigning persons to key positions during emergencies.” Following a five-year transition period, it is expected that the strength of Finnish reserves will grow by 125,000. It is also projected that the total number of reservists will reach one million by 2031.
In the meantime, neighbouring Sweden’s government presented a plan to raise defence spending to 3.5% of GDP by 2030. In March, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson was quoted as saying, “[we] are facing an entirely new security environment. That’s why we unveiled Sweden’s largest military re-armament plan since the days of the Cold War.”
The new spending plan entails the purchase of defence equipment including “air defence, drones, rocket artillery, personal protective equipment and ammunition.” In addition, spending will also target a “hybrid threats package”, servicing the Coast Guard, the Civil Contingencies Agency, and the Psychological Defence Agency.
Norway too has embarked on an ambitious track towards re-armament: its purchase of British Type-26 frigates in a deal worth €10.6 billion is set to be the Scandinavian nation’s largest defence investment in history.
As reported by The Barents Observer, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre underlined the importance of NATO’s ability to patrol the alliance’s northernmost maritime flank.
The Arctic region is an increasingly important zone of competition between NATO allies and Russia. There are several factors contributing to the strategic significance of this front, including climate change, the opening up of new navigable routes in the Arctic, and its proximity to Russian military infrastructure.
Melting sea ice is opening previously inaccessible maritime routes, creating opportunities for global trade and resource exploration. Oil, natural gas, and fisheries- the mainstays of the Russian economy- are now contested between Moscow and the Nordic countries.
At the same time, increased access for NATO fleets has deepened Russian fears of encirclement, intensifying the security dilemma.
The Arctic also hosts critical elements of Russian military infrastructure. The Northern Fleet, which reportedly accounts for more than half of Russia’s potential for a second strike, is stationed along the northern coast. On land, the Murmansk oblast houses key oil and natural gas infrastructure, as well as the Olenya airbase- which was a target of Ukraine’s ‘Operation Spiderweb’.
Given its increasing strategic salience, force projection and patrolling activity in the Barents Sea are likely to be an important priority for NATO allies. To this end, the three Nordic states’ augmented defence capabilities are likely to play an important role in this theatre of competition.
Featured image:
Source: NATO
