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First Sea Lord Strengthens Northern European Maritime Partnerships Ahead of Major Allied Security Forums
29 September 2026
• First Sea Lord visits Lithuania, Latvia, Finland and Estonia to strengthen maritime cooperation with Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) partners and reinforce collective security across Northern Europe.
• Visit demonstrates UK leadership within the UK-led JEF, enhancing interoperability, deterrence and resilience across the Baltic, High North and North Atlantic in support of NATO.
• Engagements will build momentum towards the Atlantic Future Forum and International Sea Power Conference on HMS Prince of Wales, bringing together defence leaders, industry and policymakers to discuss the future of Euro-Atlantic security
• Visit demonstrates UK leadership within the UK-led JEF, enhancing interoperability, deterrence and resilience across the Baltic, High North and North Atlantic in support of NATO.
• Engagements will build momentum towards the Atlantic Future Forum and International Sea Power Conference on HMS Prince of Wales, bringing together defence leaders, industry and policymakers to discuss the future of Euro-Atlantic security
The visit forms part of the UK’s efforts to strengthen European and NATO collective defence in the North Atlantic and High North, using its convening power as the lead framework nation in JEF to deliver a more integrated force.
As First Sea Lord, General Jenkins has developed a new Northern Navies Initiative for the JEF, which has the backing of all 10 member nations. When the final agreement is reached, the Northern Navies Initiative will see JEF nations commit to a level of unprecedented co-operation, including more joint exercises and military planning, as well as shared training, logistics, procurement and capability development.
The ultimate aim of the Northern Navies Initiative is that JEF nations progress from interchangeability to interoperability, meaning navies move beyond simply working well together. Instead, ships, aircraft, systems and crews from one nation will be able to seamlessly take on the same roles and tasks as those from another nation within JEF.
The First Sea Lord’s visit comes ahead of the pivotal Atlantic Future Forum and International Sea Power Conference later this year, where senior UK and international government ministers, defence leaders, industry and policymakers will discuss the future of Euro-Atlantic security. Both events are being hosted on HMS Prince of Wales while she is berthed in Oslo in November.
The Joint Expeditionary Force demonstrates what can be achieved when like-minded nations work together with shared purpose, shared understanding and a commitment to collective security
Through a programme of senior military engagements, the First Sea Lord met with counterparts and defence leaders from across the region to advance cooperation between JEF nations and reinforce the strong partnerships that underpin NATO's northern flank.
The discussions focussed on shared security challenges, maritime deterrence, emerging technologies and the practical military cooperation required to safeguard the North Atlantic, Baltic and High North.
First Sea Lord, General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, said:
"The security challenges we face today demand closer cooperation than ever before. No nation can address them alone.
“The Joint Expeditionary Force demonstrates what can be achieved when like-minded nations work together with shared purpose, shared understanding and a commitment to collective security.
“This visits were an opportunity to deepen those partnerships, strengthen our maritime relationships through the Northern Navies Initiative and ensure that together we remain ready to deter threats, protect our shared interests and uphold security across Northern Europe.
“The discussions we are having with our partners will help shape wider conversations at the upcoming Atlantic Future Forum and International Sea Power Conference.”