What is northern Europe’s new drone and warship plan to counter Russia?
Summary
The United Kingdom announced the Northern Navies Initiative, a 10-country framework to connect naval drones, sensors and warships for shared maritime surveillance and defence against perceived Russian threats. The plan aims to help allies detect submarine activity, protect infrastructure and coordinate their forces, including through NATO command if needed.Key Facts
- The initiative brings together the UK and the nine other Joint Expeditionary Force countries: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden.
- The framework will connect autonomous systems and sensors to improve the detection and monitoring of submarine activity.
- The UK plans to spend £90 million on drones, sensors and artificial intelligence systems for maritime defence.
- UK Defence Readiness Minister Luke Pollard said Russian naval activity around the UK rose by 41 percent in the first nine months of the year, according to The Guardian.
- The plan is intended to let allied ships direct one another’s sensors and uncrewed vessels and transfer operational responsibility between navies.
- The Royal Navy said the countries could move into NATO command if the alliance needed to mobilise at scale.
- Bruegel fellow Guntram Wolff said interoperability and clear command structures are important for deterrence and for responding to attacks on infrastructure such as deep-sea cables.
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