Royal Marines have returned in force to the Arctic Circle as the UK and Norway begin a new era of joint operations in defense of NATO’s northern flank.

A recent agreement between the two nations is paving the way for the UK’s Commando Force, led by the Royal Marines, to operate in Norway year-round, broadening their current commitment of annual winter deployments.

The UK Commando Force established an operations hub, known as Camp Viking, located in the village of Øverbygd, about 40 miles south of Tromsø, in 2023 and are returning this year with the deployment of 1,500 personnel, plus their all-terrain vehicles and helicopters from Commando Helicopter Force.

The UK Commando Force has been undergoing a radical modernization over the past six years, developing AI enabled targeting, multi-domain fires and uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) while strengthening partnerships to maintain their status as specialists in operations in the region.