Great Britain will practice in Northern Norway for the next ten years – news Troms and Finnmark

CORRECTION: It was first reported that the British Defense Forces will establish a military base in Målselv. That is not true, according to the Norwegian Armed Forces. The matter will now be updated. A camp for British soldiers is to be established in Øverbygd in Troms, the British Navy states in a press release. The plan is for the base to be operated for ten years. The British took over the camp last year from the Dutch. Then it was called Camp Orange. Now it has been renamed Camp Viking, and a thousand British commandos will be stationed here. There are almost as many who live in Øverbygd. Øverbygd is located in Målselv municipality. Skjold military camp is also located there, where British forces are now in place in connection with the exercise Joint Viking. The British themselves reported that a military base was to be established, but that is not correct, according to lieutenant colonel and press officer in the Norwegian Armed Forces, Vegard Norstad Finberg. – The camp referred to was established a few years ago when the Åsegarden camp outside Harstad was closed down as an allied training centre. In other words, what emerges is neither anything new nor in any way a breach with Norwegian base policy, says Finberg. The British base will be established here. Important strategic location According to the French news agency AFP, the Norwegian base policy is the reason why the base will only be operated for ten years. The British point out that the base’s strategic location in northern Norway is important to ensure that they respond quickly if they have to support NATO’s northern flank. Proximity to the Norwegian Air Force’s air stations at Bardufoss and in Sørreisa municipality are highlighted as important arguments for the British wanting a base in Troms. The Ministry of Defense denies that the British have established a base The Ministry of Defense, on the other hand, believes that the British presence in Camp Viking in Øverbygd in Troms is a camp and not a military base. – The camp referred to in the article was established a few years ago when the Åsegarden camp outside Harstad was closed down as an allied training centre. In other words, what appears in the article is neither anything new nor in any way a breach of Norwegian base policy, the ministry writes in an e-mail to NTB. Here are the Royal Marines on winter training at the Olavsvern submarine base in 2021. The submarine base is located just outside Tromsø. Photo: Royal Marines



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