The arrival of U.S. Air Force B-1B bombers in Norway for a training mission is seen as a clear signal to Russia that the U.S. military will operate in the strategically important Arctic region, and the B-1B bombers have made their historic first landing in the Arctic after being stationed in Norway.
According to Stars and Stripes, the U.S. Air Force B-1B bomber landed at Bodø Air Force Station in northern Norway on March 8, the first Time the B-1B has landed inside the Arctic Circle. The statement noted that “it’s not every day that our bombers have the opportunity to play such an important role in joint exercises with our allies,” emphasizing that “these exercise opportunities in front-line areas allow us to be a fast, resilient and ready combat force.”
During the B-1B bomber’s first landing in the Arctic, ground crews completed a “warm-pit refuel” (i.e., the crew refueled without disembarking, with the engines off and the auxiliary power unit APU on) on the snow-covered runway of the B-1B.
In late February, the U.S. Air Force dispatched four long-range B-1B bombers, capable of carrying large numbers of air-to-ground weapons, and more than 200 U.S. Air Force personnel to Orland Air Base in southern Norway for three weeks of training in the Arctic Circle with the Norwegian Air Force, which is responsible for defending the northern border of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the first time since the Cold War that the U.S. has deployed B-1Bs. This is the first time since the Cold War that the U.S. has deployed B-1B bombers to the area north of the Nordic Forest Line, commonly known as the “High North”, and is believed to be aimed directly at Russia.
Recent Comments