New UK armed forces minister frames High North defence as vital to “homeland security”
The UK is replacing its Viking BVS10s as part of an investment in Arctic capability. (Photo: UK Ministry of Defence/Crown Copyright)
The UK’s Minister for the Armed Forces Louise Sandher-Jones made her first appearance in the role before the House of Commons Defence Committee this week to highlight efforts to improve capability in the High North.
The UK’s operations in the High North and Arctic regions are key to the country’s homeland defence, supported by future funding plans and joint operations, according to Louise Sandher-Jones, the UK’s new Minister for the Armed Forces.
Sandher-Jones, a former British Army intelligence officer who took up the ministerial position last month, was speaking in the role before the House of Commons Defence Committee for the first time on 15 July.
She pointed to the importance of operations in the region, particularly through cooperation with Norway in the naval theatre, as an important element of the UK’s approach. The UK is
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