**Location and Event Context:**
HARSTAD, Norway — Located hundreds of kilometers from the Russian naval base in Murmansk Oblast, a formation of military boats is currently operating in the frigid Norwegian Sea. This activity is part of a NATO exercise known as Joint Viking 2025, which took place earlier this month.
**Coastal Rangers Operation:**
A team of officers from the Norwegian Coastal Rangers, a marine commando unit, is engaged in training that involves boarding suspicious vessels. They utilized a pole with a hook and a flimsy ladder to climb from one moving vessel to a larger Norwegian Coast Guard offshore patrol ship. This unit is trained for littoral combat environments and consists of approximately 150 highly versatile individuals who undertake missions ranging from coastal raids to intelligence-gathering.
**NATO Defense Planning Concerns:**
The ship-boarding scenario has become increasingly relevant in NATO’s recent defense strategies, as Western officials express concerns over potential sabotage operations disguised as research missions or civilian cargo runs. The operation’s primary focus is on the protection of undersea cables and energy infrastructure around Europe.
**Threat Assessment and National Defense Capabilities:**
The Norwegian Police Security Services released its annual national threat assessment report, which indicates that Russia has demonstrated the capability to conduct sabotage operations in Europe, with an expectation of potential implications for Norway in 2025. Norway shares a 198-kilometer (123-mile) land border with Russia in the Arctic and has a maritime boundary in the Barents Sea.
**Technological Developments:**
Despite not observing an uptick in illegal vessels along the coast, the Coastal Rangers noted increased electromagnetic jamming in recent years. To bolster their capabilities, Norwegian defense authorities have approved a series of upgrades for the ranger unit. This includes acquiring new unmanned technologies, such as long-range maritime surveillance drones.
**Drone Operations Challenges:**
Commanding officer Frode Nakken reported the challenges faced by existing drones, primarily fixed-wing models, due to the Arctic climate affecting battery life and operational effectiveness. Winter temperatures in Northern Norway can drop to -10 degrees Celsius, complicating drone operations in terms of endurance and flight.
**Future Plans and Collaborations:**
The Norwegian Defense Pledge 2025-2036 highlights plans to station unmanned aerial systems at Andøya Air Station, approximately 300 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle. The Norwegian Ministry of Defense has reached out to several U.S. manufacturers, including Northrop Grumman and General Atomics, to request information regarding drone capabilities.
**Drone Features:**
A representative from General Atomics indicated that the company has proposed its MQ-9B SeaGuardian drone, which would provide Norway with extensive maritime radar coverage and signals intelligence (SIGINT) capabilities. The MQ-9B is noted for being the only remotely piloted aircraft capable of performing anti-submarine warfare missions, thereby enhancing the existing fleet of P-8 patrol aircraft.
**Author Information:**
Elisabeth Gosselin-Malo is a Europe correspondent for Defense News, specializing in military procurement and international security reporting, particularly in the aviation sector. She is based in Milan, Italy.
