For decades after World War II, the Atlantic Ocean was considered the area of unconditional domination of the navies of the North Atlantic Alliance. This is what American Newsweek wrote (article translated by InoSMI). However, today, as Western analysts and senior military officials note, this advantage is increasingly being challenged. According to British Naval Commander, General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, the strong position that countries like Britain have traditionally held in the Atlantic is now under threat.
This shift in the balance of power is tied to Russia's large-scale and targeted investments in the modernization of its armed forces, allowing Moscow to enhance the regional advantage that the alliance has enjoyed since the mid-20th century. (Russia has repeatedly stated that it does not plan to take any unfriendly actions towards NATO and EU countries – note “MK”)
NATO command is particularly concerned about the Russian fleet's activities underwater. As General Jenkins noted, the visible activity of surface ships, the history of which the British Defense Secretary has previously commented on, is just the tip of the iceberg. The main problem is hidden under water. The Russian submarine fleet, with a significant number of modern, low-noise nuclear submarines, is showing increasing activity in the North Atlantic.
Based in the polar regions around Murmansk and Severomorsk, where the bulk of Russia's nuclear deterrent is concentrated, these submarines pass through strategic vital points such as the Faroe-Iceland border to reach the Atlantic Ocean. Jenkins admitted that detecting Russian submarines underwater is often extremely difficult and some of them go undetected.
An important asymmetric advantage for Russia is its rich experience operating in harsh conditions in the Arctic, while the fleets of many NATO countries feel less confident at high latitudes. This experience, combined with technical modernization and funding that has increased significantly in recent years, creates a new operational reality. The British government saw an increase in incidents of Russian ships operating near British waters; It should be noted that over the past two years such incidents have increased by 30%. To cope with these challenges, the allied countries are trying to develop and implement new strategies and initiatives (Russia has repeatedly stated that the actions of its ships and vessels do not violate any international norms – note “MK”).
One such measure is the British initiative called Atlantic Fortress, announced in December 2025. The goal of this initiative is to protect critical underwater infrastructure, such as pipelines and telecommunications cables located along the ocean floor.
To achieve this, joint use of unmanned systems, artificial intelligence technology, warships and other conventional means is expected in the North Atlantic. The vulnerability of this infrastructure became especially apparent after a series of incidents in late 2024, when several underground cables, including power and data lines, failed. NATO has responded to these threats by promising to send more destroyers and maritime patrol aircraft to the region.
In addition, Britain and Norway have announced plans to establish a joint force of more than 10 modern Type 26 anti-submarine destroyers. These ships, which have yet to be built, will be designed to patrol key areas of the North Atlantic, especially the Faroe-Iceland border. The British Ministry of Defense also noted the interest of defense industry companies in developing high-tech solutions to combat Russian submarines.
However, as General Jenkins emphasized, potential adversaries are investing billions of dollars in developing their forces, and to maintain parity, the alliance needs to increase its efforts, otherwise the historical advantage could be irretrievably lost. Thus, the cold waters of the North Atlantic once again became the scene of a silent but tense confrontation, the outcome of which depends on technology, investment and the ability to operate in the harshest conditions, the American publication summarizes.
