The Arctic Debrief: NATO amphibious warfare center to be established in Norway

In this edition:

• Norway to establish amphibious warfare center for NATO forces
• High alert in Arctic after Baltic cable sabotage
• Russia and China conclude first Arctic cooperation subcommittee

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Latest Developments

Norway to establish amphibious warfare center for NATO forces

Norwegian Defense Minister Bjørn Arild Gram visited Sørreisa, a town in northern Norway, to discuss plans for the establishment of the center. The planned military facility will allow allied nations to conduct exercises with their amphibious forces in Arctic conditions.

"We must train together to be able to defend Norway, the Nordic countries and NATO in crisis and war," said Gram, noting that while Norway does not have dedicated amphibious units, the facility will be used by American, British, and Dutch amphibious forces.

The purpose of the center is to provide an area where allied forces can practice amphibious beach landings in the Arctic region with support from the sea and air.

The center will contain housing facilities, kitchens, and operative areas which will be able to accommodate several hundred soldiers. Sørreisa is already host to an airbase and a radar and monitoring station.

High alert in Arctic after Baltic cable sabotage

Two fibre optic internet cables were damaged, with suspicion falling on Yi Peng 3, a Chinese bulk carrier. The ship left the Russian port of Ust-Luga on Nov. 15 and later was tracked to be near the site of the incident on the same day the damage occurred, according to public ship traffic data.

The Danish Navy made a public statement that it is monitoring the Yi Peng 3, without providing a clear reason, but many suspect its due to suspicion that the ship was responsible for damaging the undersea cables.

Following this incident other Russian and Chinese vessels are being closely monitored traversing Arctic waters off the coast of Nordic nations. In addition to concerns with sabotage, commercial vessels have been suspected of conducting espionage for their states.

For example, a Russian fishing boat, Belomorye, has been recorded exhibiting "strange behavior" in Norway's Arctic waters near undersea gas infrastructure. In 2023, the same vessel was barred from docking at Dutch ports due to authorities' fears that the ship was used by the Russian government for espionage.

Also in 2023, The Chinese-Russian ship Newnew Polar Bear was suspected of damaging a gas pipeline and two communication cables in the Baltic Sea. Shortly after those incidents, the ship quickly left European waters and sailed to China via the Northern Sea Route.

Russia and China conclude first Arctic cooperation subcommittee

Russia and China deepened efforts to cooperate on the development of Russia's Arctic with the conclusion of the first meeting of the joint 'subcommittee on cooperation on the Northern Sea Route.'

The two countries will collaborate on Arctic shipping, infrastructure, sailing safety and vessel technology.

“The Chinese side is willing to work with Russia to fully leverage the role of the mechanism, enhance the shipping capacity of the Arctic area, ensure sailing safety of the region, and promote new progress in polar vessel construction,” said Chinese Transport Minister Liu Wei who led the Chinese delegation.

The partnership is based on Russia's dire need for foreign investment and desire to develop its Northern Sea Route and China's ambition to extract resources and find an alternate shipping route to trade with the West.