Kenneth Glad
Vital systems below the water are becoming harder to ignore. In the north, allied forces are testing how well they can protect what lies out of sight.
Protecting pipelines and communication cables has become a more urgent task for NATO forces, and the waters off Norway are now a central place to practice it. Norwegian broadcaster NRK has reported from an allied naval exercise involving Norway, Britain, Germany and Denmark.
The drill centered on the Norwegian submarine KNM Utvaer, which was ordered to move near gas infrastructure and cables without being detected. Above the water, a British Merlin helicopter flew low and released a sonar buoy to listen below the surface.
Norway’s northern waters matter because they sit near key Atlantic routes, energy infrastructure and areas where NATO monitors Russian naval activity.
Norway’s seabed creates a tougher search
British naval officer Alex Kelley told NRK that crews were given the submarine’s last known position and an idea of what it might try to do next. She said the mission was to vanish while moving close to cables and gas pipelines.
She said British forces cannot properly rehearse this kind of mission at home. Off Norway, deep fjords, steep underwater formations and changing temperatures make it much harder to track what is moving below:
It is challenging, and that is exactly what we want. The conditions here and the Norwegian submarines are exceptional.
According to NRK, the exercise has shifted more toward protecting infrastructure in deeper water. That includes gas pipelines and fiber-optic cables, which carry energy, data and communication between countries.
The broadcaster noted that the Nord Stream sabotage in the Baltic Sea added to concerns over how exposed seabed systems can be.
Shared submarine program adds another layer
Norway and Germany are preparing to operate identical new submarines, with six planned for each country. The arrangement means both navies can use the same spare parts, tools and maintenance systems.
German commander Tobias Eikermann told NRK that Norwegian waters offer lessons Germany cannot easily get elsewhere:
The conditions for submarines in Norwegian fjords are the most challenging imaginable.
Norwegian submarine chief Jim Robertsen said the first new Norwegian vessel is expected in 2029. The current boats are aging while the next generation will be able to stay submerged longer and operate with less exposure.
Eirik Kristoffersen, Norway’s defense chief, said submarines and F-35 fighter jets are among the country’s most important deterrents:
There is nothing that has a greater deterrent effect than a submarine.
The Merlin crew eventually returned without finding KNM Utvaer. The failed search underlined the practical reason allies keep coming north: In these waters, the geography is not background. It shapes the mission itself.
Sources: NRK
