UK to Form Joint Naval Force with Nine European Countries, Says British Media

According to a report by Reference News on May 2, the British newspaper The Guardian reported on April 29 that leaders of the Royal Navy announced that the UK has agreed to form a joint naval force with nine European countries to counter the threat posed by Russia's future "opening of maritime borders" from the north.

The First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Gwynn Jenkins, stated in a speech that the ten participating countries of the Joint Expeditionary Force signed a letter of intent last week to establish a "multinational maritime force" as a "supplementary force" to NATO.

This force will not include U.S. military personnel. President Trump has repeatedly criticized the UK for not actively supporting bombing operations against Iran, even once referring to the British Navy's aircraft carriers as "toys." Military cooperation between the U.S. and the UK is currently at a low point, with both sides having differences over the issue of the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. has expressed a desire for assistance in securing the strait and criticized the UK and France's approach to conducting defensive patrols after the end of the war as "very foolish."

Members of the Joint Expeditionary Force include the Netherlands, five Nordic countries, and three Baltic states, with the UK being the largest contributor to the force. As some NATO member countries adjust their strategies to respond to Russian provocations, Canada is also considering joining this mechanism.

Earlier this month, the UK reported that it had tracked a Russian spy submarine suspected of conducting covert surveillance activities on underwater infrastructure around the UK.

This new maritime force will be commanded, if necessary, by the British military headquarters located in Northwood, northwest of London, with the goal of conducting joint training and preparedness activities.

Jenkins stated that this force will also "have the capability to be deployed into combat immediately as needed, possessing real combat power, actual operational plans, and true integration capabilities." However, during the early stages of the war in Iran, the British Navy struggled to deploy available warships. (Translated by Guo Jun)