Britain To Double Naval Commitment To NATO

Britain is to double its naval commitment to NATO "to send a strong message to our enemies" the Defence Secretary will announce today.

Michael Fallon, in Brussels for a NATO Defence Ministers meeting, will say the UK is "ready to respond to any threat, and defend our allies".

For the first time since 2010 the Royal Navy will contribute to NATO's Standing Maritime Group 1.

This will see the Frigate, HMS Iron Duke, and a yet unassigned Destroyer, deployed to the NATO maritime group.

Around 400 personnel in all will be involved.

The Navy is also deploying three mine sweepers with around 130 personnel for NATO operations in the Baltic Sea, North Atlantic, North Sea and the Mediterranean Sea.

It will also send two frigates to anti-submarine warfare exercise Dynamic Mongoose and the UK's largest warship, HMS Ocean, to exercise BALTOPS in the Baltic region later this year, the Ministry of Defence said.

A separate meeting will be held at NATO on Thursday afternoon by the Defence Ministers of the coalition against Islamic State.

They will discuss what more can be done to defeat the group, including possible action in Libya.