The governments of Norway and the UK have concluded a cooperation pact enabling Royal Navy helicopters to embark aboard Norwegian naval vessels and operate from Norwegian military facilities. The agreement enhances maritime interoperability and compensates for Norway’s limited availability of organic ship-based rotary-wing assets. It was signed by Rear Admiral Oliver Berdal of the Royal Norwegian Navy and Admiral Sir Gwyn Jenkins, the UK’s First Sea Lord, and reinforces the “Lunna House” defence framework agreed upon in December 2025 to strengthen bilateral relations.
The deal follows operational collaboration during Operation Highmast in 2025, when the Norwegian frigate KNM Roald Amundsen deployed alongside a Royal Navy carrier strike group centered on HMS Prince of Wales. During that mission, a Wildcat helicopter from 815 Naval Air Squadron operated from the Norwegian ship, with British aircrew fully embedded. Those involved were recently recognized with Norway’s Medal for International Service. A Royal Navy Wildcat has since been positioned at Haakonsvern and is set to join Cold Response 26, a large-scale winter exercise in Northern Norway involving Finnish and Swedish forces.
