Two Russian Flanker-D were escorting the TU-95 Bear Hotel flying in international space north of Nor (Image: Norwegian Air Force)
scrambled two of its F-35 jets on February 4, after two Russian TU-95 Bear H Bomber Aircraft escorted by two Flanker-D flew close to airspace in the High North.
The Norwegian pilots, a statement by NATO’s Allied Air Command Public Affairs Office reads, were quick to locate and identify the Russian aircraft. During their mission, the pilots closely monitored the aircraft’s movements and gathered information on them.
Moreover, they made sure the planes would not breach NATO airspace and spark a major international incident.
Major General Øivind Gunnerud, Norwegian Air Chief, said: “Our Quick Reaction Alert mission in the High North is important for our national defence and NATO’s collective security.
“The ability to respond swiftly ensures the safety of our airspace and highlights the strength of our allied forces in maintaining peace and stability.”
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The Norwegian pilots were able to locate and identify the Russian aircraft (Image: Norwegian Armed Forces)
Norway’s response is part of the Air Policing mission, a peacetime collective defence initiative by the Western military alliance.
This policy ensures NATO’s fighter jets are present and ready across the alliance’s territory at any time to be scrambled to respond to potential communication loss, airspace violations or activities that do not adhere to international aviation law.
Stressing the tensions existing in the High North and Arctic as continues to ramp up its aggressive rhetoric against allies of , the Allied Air Command Public Affairs Office said in its statement: “A combination of military interests, technological advancements and climate changes point to an increasingly contested High North, the changing security environment will require careful navigation.
“NATO continues to prepare the Alliance for the challenges of today and tomorrow to develop and maintain NATO’s decisive military advantage, including those in the Arctic region.”
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This comes just a few days after .
The move was prompted by the intensity of the bombardment carried out by across the Ukrainian territory.
Warsaw’s operation command said: “Due to Russian strikes on facilities, including in western , Polish and allied aviation are now operating in our airspace.”
The duty commander “activated all available forces and means at his disposal,” the statement added.
NATO aircraft were deployed while “ground-based air defence and radio-location reconnaissance systems have been put on high alert.”