On October 14, NATO’s new base in Evenes, Norway, scrambled two F‑35 fighters to intercept a routine Russian IL‑20 reconnaissance aircraft over the Barents Sea, a first rapid‑response operation for the site.
Operation Details
On Tuesday, October 14, Norway’s air forces launched two F‑35 fighter jets from its Evenes base in response to detecting a Russian IL‑20 COOT‑A reconnaissance aircraft in international airspace off Finnmark. The sortie, conducted under the Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) system, required aircraft to be airborne within minutes of the order and proceeded without incident.
Norwegian officials stated the Russian aircraft was conducting a routine flight and posed no threat.
First Mission for New NATO Air Operations Center
General Tron Strand, commander of the NATO Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC) in Bodø, described the exercise as a milestone, noting it was the first time the new center had led a real‑world mission. The base, opened last week, is tasked with monitoring Arctic airspace—particularly the Barents Sea—and reports to NATO’s Air Component Command at Rammstein, Germany.
Norwegian Pilots Stationed in Poland
From October, Norway will keep a contingent of pilots at a base near Poznań ready to shoot down Russian drones or aircraft that intrude into Polish airspace. The decision to engage remains with NATO command, and the presence of allied forces in countries bordering Russia has risen sharply, Norwegian deputy defence minister Andreas Flaam noted.
Deployment of F‑35s in Poland
Among the aircraft to be stationed in Poland will be F‑35 fighters, with the primary mission to defend NATO territory against aerial threats. Flaam added that “we will be ready to engage objects violating Polish airspace.”
