While the Russian Northern Fleet has an airspace the size of half of Germany closed in the Barents Sea north of Norway and the Russian peninsula of Kola for an exercise of a submarine attack coordinated with air forces, the American super aircraft carrier "USS Gerald R. Ford" enters the Oslo Fjord in the south of the country.
Tupolev Tu-160 Blackjack heavy strategic swing-wing bomber. Photo: United Aircraft Corporation
Russia
The warnings against flying in the zone (NOTAM - notice to air men/missions) apply for 24 to 26 May 2023 and for an area of 150,000 square kilometres. Apart from Finnish airlines, this mainly affects Asian and Arab airlines - European and American airlines avoid the area anyway. Fifteen units of the Russian Federation Navy, from submarines to combat ships and support vessels, are to be located in the sea area. In addition, Russia had ordered a roughly equal number of Tu-95 (Bear) and Tu-160 (Blackjack/White Swan - heavy strategic swing-wing supersonic bomber) strategic bombers to the north-west. Of course, it is not possible to find out in advance what is to be practised in detail. However, the last time such an area was closed was immediately before Russia's invasion of Ukraine. That makes you wide awake!
USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78). Photo: US Navy/J.Adkins
NATO manoeuvres
If one side is practising on a grand scale, then the other side is naturally not idle. Observation, reconnaissance, jamming - the main thing is not to do nothing! To the west of the restricted area between Norway and Greenland, a NATO manoeuvre involving around 20 units and 35 rotor and fixed-wing aircraft of the allies has also been taking place since the beginning of May.
Fleet visit to Oslo
The visit of the world's largest aircraft carrier "USS Gerald R. Ford" to the Norwegian capital Oslo is of course widely reported. It is the first time since 1959 that a US aircraft carrier has visited Norway. This already has a strategic dimension. Here too, appropriate military exclusion zones have been set up to ensure the highest security conditions. No vehicle should be able to come closer than 500 metres from the carrier!
USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) entering Oslo Fjord, Norway. Photo: US Navy/B.Glunt
However, the visit is not about sightseeing or open ships - it is about sending a clear message to Russia in the current deadlocked situation in the Ukraine war 2,000 kilometres south-east of Oslo - and also about the exercises 2,000 kilometres north-east of the capital.
Less is said about bilateral exercises between American and Norwegian units, for whom a guest of this category is something very unusual. The carrier will certainly be seen along the Scandinavian coastlines for some time to come.
Russian reactions
The Russian embassy in Oslo expressed its displeasure. As it is generally recognised that Russia poses no military threat to Norway, such a show of force is inappropriate and damaging. There are also no issues in the far north that require a military solution or issues that require external interference. And that is precisely why the American carrier is in European waters!
A video about the aircraft carrier: https://youtu.be/KpGd4kyv_7g
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