Navy News
Direct from the front-line, the official newspaper of the Royal Navy, Navy News, brings you the latest news, features and award winning photos every month.
Carrier mission forges future of Anglo-Norwegian naval cooperation in the Atlantic
4 November 2025
Six months working side-by-side on the UK’s premier military deployment have laid the perfect foundations for combined Anglo-Norwegian naval operations.
The Norwegian frigate HNoMS Roald Amundsen has been a mainstay of the UK’s Carrier Strike Group deployment, part of the protective ‘ring of steel’ drawn around flagship HMS Prince of Wales.
Throughout the Amundsen has been home to a Royal Navy Wildcat helicopter, crewed and maintained by personnel from 815 Naval Air Squadron from RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset.
Normally found on a Royal Navy frigate or destroyer, the Wildcat Flight have lived, breathed, eaten and occasionally spoken Norwegian since the spring, supporting the Amundsen’s mission through the Mediterranean, Middle East and Indian Ocean to the western Pacific Rim, including Australia, Japan and South Korea.
Brits and Norwegians alike are delighted with how Operation Highmast has gone, saying it bodes well for closer integration between the two navies in the future.
Oslo has ordered five UK-built Type 26 frigates, which will join their Royal Navy counterparts on patrols safeguarding the NorthAtlantic, supported by British and Norwegian P8 maritime patrol aircraft.
“Working with the crew from the 815 Squadron has so far been a real pleasure, and is truly a proof of concept for Norwegian-UK cooperation,” said Commander Senior Grade Stian Schnelle, the Amundsen’s Commanding Officer.
“They are true professionals and make a decisive contribution to make HNoMS Roald Amundsen a credible and effective contribution to the Carrier Strike Group and our mission.
“The team spirit that has developed over the last few months has created a huge momentum for our navies respectively as we collectively move towards the Type 26 era, operating as ‘one navy’.”
UK Carrier Strike Group Commander Commodore James Blackmore said the interaction with the Norwegians had been “seamless” (in addition to the Amundsen, tanker/support vessel HNoMS Maud accompanied the naval force for the first few weeks of the mission).
Cdre Blackmore continued: “Their professionalism, skill and commitment to collective defence make them an integral part of the team. The integration of our Norwegian partners not only strengthens the group operationally but also demonstrates our collective resolve to uphold the security and stability of the North Atlantic as allies.”
They are true professionals and make a decisive contribution to make HNoMS Roald Amundsen a credible and effective contribution to the Carrier Strike Group and our mission.
Recent years have seen increasing joint operations and exercises with our Scandinavian neighbour, in addition to long-standing ties forged by Royal Marines training annually alongside Norwegian comrades to protect NATO’s Northern Flank, from patrol boats and Wildcat helicopter honing tactics in the fjords, to frigate HMS Somerset recently testing the Naval Strike Missile.
“The helicopter crew has grown to be part of the crew and fully included in everything on board,” said Commander Hjalmar Rasmussen, Amundsen’s second in command.
“There are surprisingly few cultural differences, and we really appreciate benefiting from their viewpoints on how to run a naval vessel and crew. We teach them some Norwegian, and they teach us English naval ‘jackspeak’, all contributing to a closer and more efficient relationship.”
The Norwegian Navy runs differently from the Royal Navy – so life onboard is adjusted accordingly.
There are three messes aboard: the saloon for senior rates and officers, a junior rates’ mess for enlisted hands, and finally a conscripts’ mess.
All enjoy the same top-notch – and typically Norwegian – culinary delights, including Scandinavian fare such as reindeer casserole.
In return, the Britons have introduced their hosts to the daily treat of afternoon tea in the dining hall, which has proved to be a hit with all aboard.
“We’ve learned a lot working with the Wildcat crew, and they’ve picked up on our procedures with ease,” said Senior Petty Officer Mads Utnes.
“You would think the language barrier could be a difficulty, but that has not been an issue – a lot of the communication on deck is composed of signals and gestures, and these prove to work on an international level as well.”
Lieutenant James Eveleigh said the experiences with the Amundsen built on joint training near Bergen and in the UK.
“Being integrated with HNoMS Roald Amundsen has been a privilege and proves yet again the ability of Norway and UK forces to work together seamlessly.
“The training conducted allowed us to work together seamlessly in the Sea of Japan on Operation Highmast. It’s a lovely bunch to work with, and we feel as much as part of the crew as the rest. Tusen Takk (a thousand thanks).”