Navantia supplying maintenance support for frigates

Spanish shipbuilder Navantia will provide maintenance and life-cycle support for Norwegian Navy F-310 class frigates.

The "Follow on Technical Support" agreement with the Norwegian Defense Logistics Organization is for a period of three years.

Navantia built five of the ships for Norway under a contract signed in 2000. All are currently in operation.

The ships are 439 feet long, displace 5,290 tons when fully loaded, and have a speed of more than 26 knots.

They are equipped with the AEGIS Combat System and provide the Royal Norwegian Navy with anti-submarine and anti-air warfare capability.

The monetary value and other provisions of the support contract were not disclosed.

"With the signing of this long-term contract, Navantia will put at the disposal of NDLO and RnoN all its knowledge, capacity, resources and the experience accumulated in the design and maintenance of this type of vessels for the Spanish Navy and other navies around the world," Navantia said.

Russia, Norway to Hold Barents Sea Drills in June

Russian and Norwegian naval forces will conduct a joint exercise in the Barents Sea on June 4-7, Northern Fleet spokesman Vadim Serga said on Thursday.

Russia’s Northern Fleet will contribute the tugboat SB-523, an Ilyushin Il-38 maritime patrol aircraft and an Mi-8 Hip helicopter to the Barents-2013 exercise.

The two nations' search and rescue services will test their interoperability in evacuation of crews and aircraft in distress at sea, and cleanup of oil spills.

The Barents exercise is conducted every year in accordance with a 1995 Russian-Norwegian intergovernmental agreement, Serga said.

This year’s exercise, which has a rotating command system, will be under Russian control, he said.

Norway To Buy Six F-35s in 2017 And Then Six More Every Year Following Until 2024.

The Norwegian government today submitted a formal request to the Norwegian parliament for authorization to procure six F-35 Lightning II aircraft for delivery in 2017. In doing so, the Norwegian government follows up on its renewed plans from 2012 to stretch its procurement of the F-35 over additional years, and to accelerate its initial purchase by one year.

- We are very pleased that we have gotten to this point in our procurement process. Today represents a major leap forward in our efforts to procure the F-35. By making this commitment we are able to proceed with our plans to replace the F-16 fleet around 2020. By doing so we will also be introducing a wide range of additional capabilities to our armed forces which will improve their ability to meet the challenges of the coming three to four decades, says Norwegian minister of defence, Ms Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen.

Together with the authorization for procuring aircraft, the government is also requesting permission to begin procurement of a wide range of additional equipment and services, including integration work, training and simulators.

- When the first aircraft land in Norway in 2017, we need to be ready to begin training and maintenance operations. That means we also need to begin investments in the necessary equipment and capabilities to do so, says Ms Strøm-Erichsen.

The Norwegian government today also announced its revised procurement plan for the F-35, which will see Norway receiving six aircraft annually from 2017 until 2024. This comes in addition to the four aircraft for training purposes that will be delivered in 2015 and 2016, for a total of 52 aircraft.

- It is important to note that even though we are announcing this plan now, the procurement of aircraft is still subject to annual approvals by the Norwegian parliament, says Ms. Strøm-Erichsen.

- We have concluded convincingly that the F-35 is the only aircraft that fulfills our future operational requirements. This continues to be true to this day, and we have no time to lose. Our F-16s remain among the world’s most capable aircraft of their kind, but they are also among the world’s oldest.

During the recent Joint Executive Steering Board meeting of the JSF-program, Norway also received assurances regarding the integration of the JSM missile into the development cycle known as Block 4. This means that the road is now open for final and complete integration of the JSM on the F-35.

- This is important to us mainly from an operational point of view – we need the JSM to fulfill our operational requirements. It is also important from an industrial side, as we believe the sales potential for the missile is significant with several F-35 users, says Ms. Strøm-Erichsen.

The requests sent to parliament have a total value of NOK 12.9 billion/USD 2.18 billion. This includes both aircraft procurement as well as related investments such as integration work, training and simulators. In addition, the government request calls for an uncertainty allowance of NOK 3 billion/USD 507.2 million.

Facts about the Norwegian procurement of the F-35:

- Norway will acquire up to 52 F-35 combat aircraft to ensure that its future Armed Forces will be able to perform its missions in the best way possible.

- The Norwegian acquisition is estimated to cost NOK 62.6 billion (adjusted real 2013-value.) The overall Norwegian cost estimates have been stable since 2008.

  The first four F-35s that are to be used for the training of Norwegian personnel were approved by the Norwegian Parliament in 2011. Of these four, the first two will be delivered in the United States in 2015 and the last two in 2016.

Norway - Ula-class subs potential easy pickings, former military man claims

Norway’s ageing submarine fleet is not sufficiently stealth-capable, according to a former top naval officer.

Outdated

“The oldest [one] is 25 years old”, Rear Admiral Jan Gerhard Jæger (ret.) tells Submariners World , “they undergo upgrades, but the ‘signature’ (identity) they leave behind in the sea remains unchanged.”

Norway’s six Ula-class submarines, all based at Bergen’s Haakonsvern Naval Base, western Norway, were ordered in the ‘70s during the Cold War. These replace the then ageing Kobben-class ones.

The Ula-class submarines were a multinational cooperation on behalf of the Royal Norwegian Navy. The hull sections were produced in Norway, and German company Thyssen Nordseewerke in Emden assembled them.

Norway’s Kongsberg Group built their combat systems, Germany the attack sonar, and the flank sonars are French-made. The vessels were delivered between 1989 and 1992.

Upgrades have been performed on the periscope as part of modernisation work to keep them in service until 2020. These are also currently being carried out on the hull, propulsion, and integrated ships systems.

Installation of new electronic warfare support measures and communication

equipment (TADIL-A/Link 11) is part of the programme too, with ongoing work on the weapons control, sonar, and decision support systems, among other things.

TADIL-A/Link 11, a NATO-employed secure half-duplex radio link, can be used on High Frequency (HF) or Ultra High Frequency (UHF).

It is mainly for exchanging digital information such as radar tracking among shipboard, airborne, or land-based tactical data systems.

According to Norwegian Royal Navy information, the Ula-class submarines “makes it possible to operate in the entire maritime domain, including under water.”

“The vessels can operate undisclosed over longer periods of time. They are hard to detect and has the ability tie up significant hostile resources.”

“World-class”

“Norway currently has equipment that can be used to trace these submarines. Consequently, we must reckon with the fact that others also possess this,” says Rear Admiral Jan Gerhard Jæger (ret.) to Submariners World.

49-year-old Commander Solveig Krey has just assumed leadership of the Norwegian Royal Navy’s submarine service.

According to her, the retired Rear Admiral “is making claims on his own behalf.”

“The vessels are currently being upgraded to ensure they are relevant to the tasks they will be solving until 2020”, she stated, “[...] We’re world class when it comes to conventional submarines.”

“They can operate hidden and surface vessels cannot discover them easily.

Nevertheless, technology for surface vessels and submarines has developed, meaning these need updating.”

Commander Krey said Norway upgrading the submarines “is not different to what other countries do.”

The Ula-class submarines are 59 metres long, 5.4 metres wide, and 4.5 metres deep (about 193.5 by 17.7 by 15 feet).

Speeds are 11 knots surfaced and 23 knots submerged, with capacity for a crew of 21+.

“It’s a potent conventional submarine,” Navy press spokesperson Commander Nils Kristian Haugen told Submariners World.

No decision regarding new submarine purchase has been made, the military’s Colonel Dag Rist Aamoth explains, “But there is an ongoing project looking at possible Ula-class end-of-life replacement or a further upgrade and life extension of the submarine.”

Norway’s Navy Runs Into the Same Problem as the Royal Canadian Navy – Not Enough Personnel

The Barents Observer is reporting that Norway’s Auditor-General has questioned the Ministry of Defence’s purchase of five advanced frigates – now in service as the Fridtjof Nansen-class – suggesting that difficulties in recruiting personnel to man the vessels is seriously hampering their ability to be kept in operational condition.

The Chief of the Royal Norwegian Navy, Rear Admiral Bernt Grimstvedt, recently admitted that personnel shortages are becoming a serious concern, and that the Navy does not have enough qualified sailors to man the new ships, according to the Observer. Grimstvedt told reporters that the Navy would often transfer crew from one ship to another to facilitate deployments when they do manage to leave to port.  Reports suggest that many of the most talented service people leave Norway’s Navy for more lucrative work in the thriving offshore oil industry.

Norwegian frigate to lead NATO Maritime Group

A Norwegian frigate will be command ship for one of NATO's standing naval forces for the second half of 2013. "The frigate will thus be leading the important task of combating pirate activity off the coast of the Horn of Africa", says Defence Minister Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen.

Defence Minister Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen and force commander Henning Amundsen

NATO has asked Norway to take the lead role in Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1) during the second half of 2013. In this role the frigate and the force commander's staff will also take the lead in Operation Ocean Shield.

This is the first time that one of the new frigates has taken part in a NATO operation.

"With this we are showing that Norway is also ready to take on important NATO tasks at sea. Norway possesses modern frigates with excellent operational capabilities, well-trained crews and staff officers capable of leading demanding maritime operations," the defence minister emphasises.

It is these same NATO forces that will come to the rescue if a situation requiring international crisis management arises in the sea areas closer to home.

Safer voyages

Pirate activity has been at a high level in the Indian Ocean since 2008. More offensive tactics from the international anti-piracy forces and the shipping companies' own preventive measures have since made voyages somewhat safer. Since the spring of 2011 there has been a clear reduction in the number of hijackings but the problem is still a serious one.

"The piracy situation has improved but it is still necessary to take military measures which can contribute towards increasing the safety and security of shipping and those who sail in these waters. This naval presence remains a necessity if the situation is not to spiral out of control once more," says defence minister Strøm-Erichsen.

The frigate will be carrying special forces personnel from the naval or coastal Ranger Commands, elite units more than capable of boarding or attacking pirate vessels.

Must be resolved on land

The pirate activities have had a serious impact on global shipping in recent years and they pose a significant threat to humanitarian aid supplies for Somalia.

"Norway is a major shipping nation and wishes to help in combating this pirate activity. At the same time it is important to emphasise that the long-term solution to the pirate problem can only be achieved on land," says Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen.

Cost

The cost of participating in the Standing NATO Maritime Group is estimated to amount to around NOK 94 million. Additional expense associated with the force command role in Operation Ocean Shield is estimated to be NOK 60 million with outgoings of NOK 45 million in 2013. These costs will be met within the framework of the defence budget.

Norway has previously contributed a frigate to participate in the EU operation Atalanta (Aug 2009 – Jan 2010) together with staff officers for both the EU and the NATO operation. In 2010 a Norwegian Orion maritime patrol aircraft took part in NATO's Operation Ocean Shield for a period of three months.

Facts and background:

About 20,000 vessels pass through this area annually and about a thousand of these are under Norwegian control. Approximately one half of these sail under the Norwegian flag.

NATO established Operation Ocean Shield on 17 August 2009. The operation is led from the NATO maritime headquarters at Northwood outside London. The EU's maritime operation off the coast of Somalia is named Atalanta and was set up in 2008. The international anti-piracy work is organised on the basis of a mandate from the UN Security Council. The UN Security Council has, in a number of resolutions, urged states and organisations to participate in combating Somali

Norway threatens to cancel NH90 helicopter order

Norway is threatening to cancel its order for NH Industries NH90 helicopters, as its frustrations mount with delivery delays.

Oslo has eight of the NH90 maritime variant on order, configured for search and rescue operations for its coastguard. Deliveries were due to have been completed six years ago, but the nation has so far received just one of the type.

The new helicopters are intended to replace the Norwegian coastguard's ageing AgustaWestland Lynx fleet, which it began retiring in 2005. At present, it has just three operational helicopters, says the Norwegian defence ministry. These were all delivered in 1981, according to Flightglobal's HeliCAS database.

But with the remainder of the NH90s no closer to being delivered, Oslo is now drawing up contingency plans.

Speaking last month on a tour with the coastguard in northern Norway, secretary of state for defence Roger Ingebrigtsen said: "NH90 is greatly delayed and I am very concerned about this situation. We therefore have to consider what the options are to ensure the coastguard has the helicopter capacity we depend on."

The defence ministry adds: "If the manufacturer doesn't manage to deliver the helicopters [to deadline] we are considering cancelling the contract.

"We are a customer and we cannot wait forever to receive our merchandise."

The defence ministry would not be drawn on the deadline it has given to NH Industries to complete the order. However, it has begun looking at alternatives to the NH90, it says, without specifying the types under consideration. "There are several helicopters on the market that are combat-proven and in use by other nations," it notes.

NH Industries was unavailable to comment.

UK Flying Tigers Hunt Submarines Off Norway

Merlin helicopters and crews from British 814 Naval Air Squadron (814 NAS) have returned from the Norwegian Sea, where they took part in a NATO anti-submarine warfare exercise.

Known as the 'Flying Tigers', 814 NAS sent two of their Merlin helicopters and 55 personnel to take part in Exercise Dynamic Mongoose, which saw them searching for hunter-killer submarines.

During the exercise, the men and women of 814 NAS worked alongside their NATO partners France, Germany, Canada, the Netherlands, Poland and Norway.

Operating from Sola air base at Stavanger in Norway, the Flying Tigers searched for the submarines actively, with sonar, and passively, by listening to the submarines' movements.

The 814 NAS personnel operated as part of the 'friendly forces', working alongside various NATO maritime patrol aircraft, four surface ships, including HNoMS Fridtjof Nansen, and multiple rotary-winged assets, including Polish Mi-14 'Haze' helicopters, to counter the threat posed by three submarines.

The mission was to assist in the protection of the 'High Value Vessel' (FGS Spessart) from an unseen enemy, who posed a very real threat lurking below the surface and ready to pounce at a moment's notice. The quiet and elusive submarines are difficult opponents, and can prove a real challenge to detect, even with the Merlins' advanced active sonar, passive sonics and radar.

The submarine commanders continually tested the flying crews' war-fighting skills, but the Flying Tigers leapt to the challenge, successfully hunting and preying on the threat.

The exercise demonstrated what a highly-capable aircraft and formidable opponent the Merlin HM Mk1 can be when operated by well-trained Fleet Air Arm aviators.

Commander Chris Stock, Commanding Officer of 814 NAS, said: "Dynamic Mongoose was a fantastic opportunity to work alongside some of our NATO allies, and to put into practice our anti-submarine warfare tactics. It provided really valuable training, and the feedback from the submariners themselves illustrated how effective a well-operated Merlin can be.

"I feel confident in the knowledge that the Flying Tigers of 814 NAS will be ready to fight and protect our nation's interests against threats, whether from above or, as here, below the water."

Dynamic Mongoose was a major part of the build-up for Operation COUGAR, 814 NAS's primary deployment later in the year.

The exercise also provided an excellent opportunity for the squadron to hone their anti-submarine warfare capabilities after a lengthy period involved in maritime security operations. 814 NAS has been supporting the international effort against illegal activities on the high seas including anti-piracy, people-trafficking, smuggling, drug-running and terrorism.

Norway fires first ground-based Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile from NASAMS launcher

Test validates ESSM's role in medium-range, ground-based air defense

The Royal Norwegian Air Force successfully fired a Raytheon Company Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile from a National Advanced Surface-to-Air-Missile System (NASAMS). During the first-of-its-kind test at the Andoya Rocket Range in Northern Norway, the ESSM intercepted and destroyed an air target.

"Completion of this live-fire exercise is a major step forward in our efforts to qualify ESSM as a ground-based air defense solution," said Rick Nelson, Raytheon Missile Systems' vice president of Naval Weapon Systems. "We will continue our engineering efforts to fully integrate ESSM into NASAMS and other land-based launch systems."

In addition to the launcher, the risk-reduction firing event used the NASAMS Fire Distribution Center (FDC) and the Hawk air defense system's High-Power Illuminator radar that served as the semi-active illumination source.

"Raytheon and our Norwegian partner KONGSBERG are expanding the flexibility and capability of our NASAMS, Hawk and Hawk XXI systems," said Tim Glaeser, vice president of Business Development and Strategy for Integrated Air and Missile Defense at Raytheon's Integrated Defense Systems business. "Our Hawk customers may have the option in the future to implement ESSM with modifications to the system. NASAMS system users will also benefit from having ESSM as an additional effector."

Joining AMRAAM and AIM-9X, ESSM is the third Raytheon missile to be successfully fired from the NASAMS launcher. ESSM adds another capability to Raytheon's growing portfolio of ground-based air defense solutions.

About NASAMS

Raytheon's NASAMS, in partnership with KONGSBERG, is a medium-range surface-to-air missile system. This operationally proven system provides the air defender with a tailorable, state-of-the-art system that can defeat current and evolving cruise missile threats and a wide range of air breathing threats.

About ESSM

With 18 industrial partners representing 10 nations, ESSM is the world's premier international cooperative missile production program. ESSM is a key component of Raytheon's portfolio of products that provide a global layered defense capability to meet the needs of diverse platforms, combat system design and theaters of operation.

Norway and USA agree to collaborate on integration of Joint Strike Missile (JSM) on F-35

Norway and USA agree to collaborate on integration of Joint Strike Missile (JSM) on F-35. This opens great opportunities for KONGSBERG and other Norwegian industry.

Today Defence Minister Espen Barth Eide announced that the Norwegian Government has decided to start the process to finalize the development of JSM and integration on F-35. The decision comes as a consequence of Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta’s confirmation of US support for integration.

Through the development of the Naval Strike Missile (NSM), the Norwegian Armed Forces has established KONGSBERG and other Norwegian industry in the top tier as a supplier of long-range, precision strike missiles that will meet military requirements in a 20 to 30-year perspective.

“It is of great importance that the US authorities have confirmed their support for the integration of the JSM on the F-35. In doing so, the operational needs of the Norwegian Armed Forces and international partners will be met. Furthermore, this will be an important contribution to the industrial content of the F-35 procurement. JSM is the world leader in its category and further strengthens the F-35's operational capacity", states Walter Qvam, CEO of KONGSBERG.

“KONGSBERG has involved a number of Norwegian subcontractors in the first phases of the JSM development. Today's decision for the integration of JSM on F-35 open up new opportunities for a long-term Norwegian industrial success that may be worth as much as NOK 25 billion. In future full-scale production, the JSM programme could translate into 450 jobs at KONGSBERG and significant assignments for more than 100 Norwegian subcontractors for several decades", comments Harald Ånnestad, president of Kongsberg Defence Systems.

As part of the JSM development programme, new operational capabilities will be developed and tested for subsequent upgrading of KONGSBERG's Naval Strike Missile (NSM). The NSM is now in production for the Armed Forces of Poland and Norway.

Norway buys 2 US-built Joint Strike Fighter jets

Norway on Friday ordered the first two fighter jets of an expected combined order of 52 from Lockheed Martin's troubled Joint Strike Fighter program as it embarked on a 2008 plan to replace its aging fleet of F-16 combat aircraft.

Defense Minister Espen Barth Eide said in a statement that the F-35A Lightning II jets are expected to arrive in 2015, with a further 50 aircraft expected to follow two years later at a total cost of 60 billion kroner ($10 billion).

"This marks a key milestone in the Norwegian F-35 program, and the beginning of the largest public procurement in Norwegian history," Barth Eide said.

He added that parliament had authorized the initial purchase on Thursday and the first two jets will be based in the U.S., where they will be used to train Norwegian pilots.

Norway is a funding partner in the Joint Strike Fighter program, which the U.S. Defense Department has described as the largest fighter aircraft program in history.

The program aims to replace a wide range of existing fighter, strike, and ground attack aircraft for the U.S., and eight partner countries: Norway, Britain, Australia, Canada, Turkey, Italy, Denmark and the Netherlands.

The Lockheed Martin Corp. program, however, has been troubled by repeated blowouts in cost as well as delivery schedules.

Critics have also questioned whether the multirole jet offers sufficient improvement in capabilities over existing top-of-the line fighters to justify its extreme unit costs.

Last month, Britain abandoned proposals to buy a particular type of F-35 Joint Strike Fighter because it said the cost of ship modifications to accommodate the F-35c variants would be about 2 billion pounds ($3.2 billion).

The U.S. and Australia have delayed their orders, and the Netherlands has said it will trim its order.

Norway - C-130J-30 Aircraft

NEWS RELEASE

On the web: http://www.dsca.mil Media/Public Contact:

Charles Taylor (703) 601-3859

Paul Ebner (703) 601-3670

Transmittal No. 12-31

Norway – C-130J-30 Aircraft

WASHINGTON, June 7, 2012 – The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress today of a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Norway for 2 C-130J-30 United States Air Force (USAF) baseline aircraft and associated parts, equipment, logistical support and training for an estimated cost of $300 million.

The Government of Norway has requested a possible sale of 2 C-130J-30 United States Air Force (USAF) baseline aircraft, 9 Rolls Royce AE2100D3 Engines (8 installed and 1 spare), countermeasure systems, aircraft modifications, Government Furnished Equipment, communication equipment and support, tools and test equipment, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistical and program support. The estimated cost is $300 million.

This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a NATO ally. Norway has been a strong partner in coalition operations in Libya, Iraq and Afghanistan, and has provided support in the Balkans, the Baltics, and the NATO training mission in Iraq (NTM-I). Norwegian efforts in peacekeeping and humanitarian operations have made a significant impact on regional political and economic stability and have served U.S. national security interests.

Norway intends to use these aircraft in support of NATO-International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) missions in Afghanistan. Norway needs these aircraft to fulfill national and international airlift commitments and requirements, and to increase its capability to provide intra-theater lift for its forces. These aircraft will also increase Norway’s ability to assist in disaster relief, humanitarian missions, and military deployments in the future. The Royal Norwegian Air Force, which already operates C-130Js in Norway and in support of operations worldwide, will have no difficulty absorbing these additional aircraft.

The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.

The prime contractor will be Lockheed Martin-Aerospace in Marietta, Georgia. There are no known offset agreements in connection with this potential sale.

Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the assignment of any additional U.S. Government or contractor representatives to Norway.

There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale. This notice of a potential sale is required by law and does not mean the sale has been concluded.

-

Javelin Missile Proves New Capability during Vehicle-Launched Norwegian Tests

In a Norwegian Ministry of Defence-sponsored live fire demonstration in Rena, Norway, two Javelin missiles scored two direct hits when fired from a Piranha V vehicle configured with a Kongsberg Protector Remote Weapon Station (RWS) and the Javelin Vehicle Launcher (JVL) electronics. The two targets were located 800 and 1650 meters from the launch vehicle.

The RWS is a remote controlled weapon station for light and medium caliber weapons, and can be mounted on any type of platform. The JVL allows the standard Javelin missile round to interface with vehicle fire control systems. With the JVL, the U.S. Army and international customers are able to fire Javelin missiles from vehicle platforms with the gunner safely under armor.

"These firings will lead to further discussions with Norway, as they evaluate the potential of employing their Javelin missiles on their existing vehicles," said Duane Gooden, Javelin Joint Venture president.

"The live fire tests in Norway demonstrated that Javelin is capable of being deployed on vehicles with remote weapon stations and that the concept is mature and ready for implementation," said Barry James, Javelin Joint Venture vice president and Javelin program director in Lockheed Martin's Missiles and Fire Control business.

Arctic military rivalry could herald a 21st-century cold war

Report warns that states such as Norway and Russia have military plans geared towards conflict rather than peacekeeping

HMS Albion – and the aurora borealis – seen during naval exercises in the Arctic Sea off Norway. Photograph: Royal Navy

A buildup of military forces around the Arctic amid growing excitement about its oil wealth has the ability to undermine stability in the region, a research paper has warned.

According to the report – called Climate Change and International Security: the Arctic as a Bellwether – the military buildup is neither advisable nor a sensible peacekeeping measure, as it is increasingly designed for combat rather than policing.

The paper, published by the US not-for-profit organisation, the Centre for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES), warns: "Although the pursuit of co-operation is the stated priority, most of the Arctic states have begun to rebuild and modernise their military capabilities in the region. The new military programs have been geared towards combat capabilities that exceed mere constabulary capacity."

It adds: "States such as Norway and Russia are building new naval units designed to engage in high-intensity conflicts. While this capability may be understood as prudent, the ability of rivals to intimidate or subdue with sophisticated weapons systems could, if collegiality falters, undermine diplomacy and stability in the region."

The paper, authored by Rob Huebert from the University of Calgary and Heather Exner-Pirot of the University of Saskatchewan among others, said one of the biggest worries about the far north area was the enormous uncertainty of everything from the speed of sea ice melting to the price of commodities that could determine the pace of extraction.

A recent IMF report on peak oil warned that the price of oil was likely to double from today's price of $110 a barrel by the end of the decade.

The US Geological Survey has estimated that about a quarter of the world's oil and gas reserves could lie under the ice cap – encouraging a race for resources. Shell has applied for drilling rights in the Arctic off Alaska this summer and is also planning to make boreholes on behalf of other oil companies off Greenland.

Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev told the Seattle Times in 2008 that "our first and main task is to turn the Arctic into Russia's resource base of the 21st century."

His successor, Vladimir Putin, has just unveiled plans to give tax breaks to encourage companies to exploit new oil and gas fields, such as the Shtockman field in the Barents Sea.

Russia and Norway have recently signed a boundary agreement in the Barents Sea and undertaken joint military exercises, but the C2ES research paper says Norway "continues to take seriously its preparations for the defence of the High North, as it calls it, hosting five Operation Cold Response exercises since 2006."

The US has begun to increase the visibility of its submarines in the Arctic, while Canada has unveiled plans for an Arctic training centre in Resolute Bay for its army.

The authors of the Bellwether report argue that a first step towards easing the military pressure would be for states to talk about it. It suggests the Arctic Council, which currently has a prohibition on the discussion of security issues, is the place to start.

Need a Place to Park Your Submarine? Buy This Underground Norwegian Sub Base for Only $17.3 Million

If you’re looking for a unique home with tens of thousands of square feet, space for a submarine, and is mostly buried under a mountain, than the Royal Norwegian Navy has got a deal for you. After nearly 50 years in service, the nordic country is looking to sell off the Olavsvern naval base. Warm up your credit cards, because this underground sub base will cost you a cool $17.3 million.

The news of the sale was originally reported by Norway’s TV2, and the facility is listed on the website Finn.no. Presumably, this is the outlet to use if you’re curious about buying the place.

The base was originally built in 1967 and was used by NATO as well as the Royal Norwegian Navy up until 2002, when the base was converted to a supply depot with little to no full-time staff. Though TV2 reports that it cost NATO some $494 million dollars to build, the organization apparently no longer has a need for the facility and has authorized the Norwegian Navy to make the sale.

The Royal Norwegian Navy is probably not too sad to lose the base, as it still has the much older, larger, and more formidably named underground naval base Haakonsvern available. Lucky them.

After parting ways with your $17.3 million, you’ll be the proud owner of 13,500 square meters of above ground offices and buildings, along with 25,000 square meters of space underneath a mountain. This includes, according to Finn.no:

        Dry dock for submarine / boat

        Garages

        Office

        Fuel Systems

        Storage / repos

        Tunnel System

        Emergency System

All in all, it’s a pretty sweet deal. I can quite honestly think of no cheaper way to store a submarine. However, TV2 points out that any would-be buyer will have to take several factors into account. The buyer will surely have to contend with security, maintenance, general upkeep, and an annual power bill rumored to be in the millions. Though I guess if you’ve got the kind of scratch that lets you throw down $17 million on an old sub base, a few million a year is probably not a big deal.

If anyone’s interested, take a look at these pictures of what could be your new home-beneath-a-mountain.