Inside Camp Viking – the new Arctic operations base for UK commandos

Britain's commandos have a new Arctic operations base for the next 10 years.

Camp Viking in the north of Norway will act as a hub for Royal Marines as they perform their duties as the tip of the Arctic spear – the unit Britain turns to when it needs troops able to fight in extreme cold.

The camp, which offers modern facilities in the village of Øverbygd, about 40 miles south of Tromsø, is beside a Norwegian armed forces base and close to the established air base at Bardufoss where the Commando Helicopter Force operates.

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Major Kirk Allen, OC Norway Enabling Group, Commando Logistic Regiment, told Forces News: "We were originally based at Bardufoss, but due to the increase in numbers coming to Norway, we outgrew that camp, so we took over this camp in Skjold in December 2021 and renamed it Camp Viking."

Camp Viking can cater for all personnel from the UK's Littoral Response Group (LRG) – the Royal Marines force which responds to crises in Europe.

Around 1,000 Royal Marines Commandos have deployed there over the winter, exercising alongside Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) and Nato allies.

The drills help to sharpen the troops' ability to survive, move and fight in the Arctic, building up to Exercise Joint Viking – part of the broader JEF Exercise Joint Warrior, in which British personnel work closely with Norwegians and other partners.

Joint Viking is intended to show how Norway would defend itself in hostile winter conditions and its ability to work effectively with its allies.

Take a look inside the base as Briohny Williams gets access in the video above.