Ten European countries have signed a statement of intent to form a special team under the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) to counter Russian threats in northern waters.

The JEF is a British-led defense grouping established in 2014 to enable rapid coordination among the country’s partner militaries.

A new “multinational maritime force” inside that broader pact will complement NATO and strengthen regional deterrence, according to Royal Marines Adm. Sir Gwyn Jenkins, First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff of the Royal Navy.

In addition to the UK, the coalition brings together the Netherlands, five Nordic countries, and three Baltic states, heightening the security posture across the High North, North Atlantic, and Baltic regions.

Canada is considering joining, while the US is not included amid friction between Washington and the British government over the Iranian conflict in the Middle East.

Headquarters in London

Jenkins said the force will train and operate together and could be commanded from the UK’s maritime headquarters in Northwood, Northwestern London.

He described the initiative as being “designed to fight immediately if required, with real capabilities, real war plans, and real integration.”

“Russia remains the gravest threat to our security,” he said, highlighting an “open sea border with Russia to the north.”

Response to Growing Incursions

The announcement follows increased Russian naval activity near the UK, which has increased “by almost a third in the last two years,” according to Jenkins.

“In 2025 alone, the Royal Navy was required to respond dozens of times in support of homeland defence against Russian Navy surface vessels,” he explained.

“However, it is Russia’s reinvestment in its submarine programmes that poses the most acute threat… and all the signs suggest this pattern of behaviour by Moscow will only worsen further in future.”

Integrating Autonomy With ‘Hybrid Navy’

Jenkins also revealed that the plan will align with the UK’s “Hybrid Navy” strategy to expand capabilities, including deploying unmanned escort vessels alongside warships within two years to boost capacity at lower cost.

“This paradigm shift is not about replacing existing capabilities,” he stated. “It is about increasing the mass, survivability and lethality of our force. It is only through blending the conventional and the new that we will achieve this.”