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On May 1st, the US and British warships decided to conduct a surprise anti-submarine exercise in the Barents Sea, above the Arctic Circle.
Four ships from two nations, a U.S. submarine, and a U.S. P8-A worked together, in the Norwegian Sea, to conduct training in the challenging conditions in the Arctic.
For the exercise, Arleigh Burke-class Aegis destroyers USS Donald Cook and USS Porter , and fast combat support ship USNS Supply, were joined by the Royal Navy’s HMS Kent.
Additionally, a U.S. submarine, as well as a P8-A Poseidon multi-mission maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft from Patrol Squadron (VP) 4 supported the training.
This exercise reinforces the combined training that the nations received last month while participating in the U.K’s Submarine Command Course (SMCC).
“For more than 70 years, 6th Fleet has operated forces across the region in support of maritime security and stability. Our regional alliances remain strong because of our regular operations and exercises with partner navies, and we welcome this opportunity to work collaboratively at sea, while enhancing our understanding of Arctic operations,” said Vice Adm. Lisa Franchetti, commander, U.S. 6th Fleet.
The US calls the exercise “multinational” because it involved 1,200 sailors from the US and UK.
“We are working with our partners to enhance our combined capabilities as we conduct maritime security operations and training in the Arctic region,” said Franchetti. “Our ships must be prepared to operate across all mission sets, even in the most unforgiving environments. This is especially critical in the Arctic, where the austere weather environment demands constant vigilance and practice.”
The two U.S. destroyers, based in Rota, Spain, support NATO’s integrated air missile defense architecture. These forward deployed naval forces-Europe ships have the flexibility to operate throughout the waters of Europe and Africa, from the Cape of Good Hope to the Arctic Circle demonstrating their mastery of the maritime domain.
“One of the best attributes of our surface force is that we can aggregate at will, transitioning seamlessly from independent ships to coordinated operations,” said Capt. Joseph A. Gagliano, Commander, Task Force 65, commander, Destroyer Squadron 60. “Our interoperability with our allies is so good that we can deploy multinational naval forces with minimal notice. That’s the real power of NATO.”
Russia’s Ministry of Defense published a short note at noon on Monday, stating the Northern Fleet “has started to monitor the actions of the NATO naval strike group.”
In addition, to the US’ and UK’s surprise, Norway refused to send any ships above the Arctic Circle for the exercise.
Norway’s absence from the 6th Fleet’s operation in the Barents Sea is an attempt to avoid escalating tensions with Russia, The Barents Observer reported.
“Norway abstained from these exercises perhaps understanding the danger to its bilateral relationship with Russia from threatening Russia’s nuclear deterrence,” it quoted Rasmus Gjedssø Bertelsen, social sciences professor at the University of Tromsø – The Arctic University of Norway, as saying.
“Do the U.S. Navy and Royal Navy exercises in the Barents- and Norwegian Seas defend trans-Atlantic sea lanes or threaten the Russian Bastion defense and its nuclear deterrence and therefore strategic stability,” professor Gjedssø Bertelsen asked.
From Oslo, Defense Minister Frank Bakke-Jensen sees no conflict of interests by the British, U.S. navy group sailing north. To the Barents Observer, the minister says such cooperation among NATO countries strengthens the collective defense.
“Norway welcomes more allied presence in our neighborhood. The United States contributes to NATO’s collective defense through more presence and training in Europe. The ongoing maritime activity is a sign of rivalry between the great powers,” Bakke-Jensen said.
“We want Norwegian forces to participate in this type of activities when it takes place outside Norway,” the Defense Minister states, but adds “this time it was not prioritized.”
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I think we are seeing the Anglo-American-Zionist Empire in a state of panic.
Its a bait……………….LOL. You didnt get it.
We didn’t get the bombing of Iran neither, despite Fatboy Mike Pompous and the Ducks threats of immediate war.
All hot air. As usual.
Yep, they are all a bunch of “weak ass bitches”, as Three Six Mafia would say. So pathetic. No class. No balls. Just get it on with already.
MOSCOW, May 7. /TASS/. The second submarine to serve as a basic carrier of Russia’s Poseidon nuclear-capable underwater drones will be floated out approximately in late June, a defense industry source told TASS on Thursday. “The Khabarovsk [Project 09852] will be floated out in late June at the earliest. There is no exact date so far,” the source said. The Russian Navy’s press service did not comment on the information. The Sevmash shipyard where the submarine is being built was not immediately available for a comment. The first basic carrier of Poseidon drones, a Project 09852 special-purpose nuclear sub, the Belgorod, was floated out on April 23, 2019 and is expected to enter service with the Russian Navy in September. The Belgorod and the Khabarovsk are expected to carry six Poseidon drones each. In his state-of-the-nation address to both houses of Russia’s parliament on March 1, 2018, Russian President Vladimir Putin mentioned for the first time the country’s efforts to develop a nuclear-powered unmanned underwater vehicle that can carry both conventional and nuclear warheads and is capable of destroying enemy infrastructural facilities, aircraft carrier groups and other targets. Poseidon drones together with their carriers – nuclear-powered submarines – make part of the so-called oceanic multipurpose system. A source in the defense industry earlier told TASS that the Poseidon drone would be capable of carrying a nuclear warhead with a yield of up to 2 megatonnes to destroy enemy naval bases. According to reported data, the Poseidon will feature an intercontinental range capability and an operational depth of over 1 km. https://tass.com/defense/1153699
We have the right to sail in International free waterways into the Barents Sea close to Russian cities with military surprise drills in order to exercise defense for freedom.
We are carrying out freedom of navigation anywhere we want it, but unfortunately freedom is unknown to Russians and their Gulag camps. Therefore Kremlin get pessed.
The Russian population can see the American flag and know freedom will is close and WILL come to Russian homes one day also. We will not leave the Russian population to the wolves as America has an obligation to project innocent nations from their oligarch governments.
Sarcasm huh ???
Just another mouthy NATO tool.
They always talk a good fight, then cut and run like they did in Vietnam, or when Iran bombs them! lol
That means, every countries military vessels have the right to sail in International free waterways close to US coasts.
And I bet they do too. China and Russia probably do sub patrols off the US coast quite regularly but the inferior US sub detection technology can’t detect them.
This joint UK / US exercise would be more impressive during the winter months.
This late Spring excercise is akin to a Cruise Ship Adventure Holiday.
the impotent fascist amerikans attempting to enslave civilized peoples—these freedom hating primitives continue to humiliate themselves… the cowardly amerikans r astute enough to remain outside of Russian waters—they would be boarded and arrested….as Lasch wrote, “amerika requires a stupefied population”. Neil Postman wrote, “amerikans do not exchange ideas-they exchange images. the problem with amerikans is not Orwellian–it is huxleyan: amerikans love their oppression”. loving your oppression is quite a magnitude of stupidity!
NORWAY REFUSES TO JOIN = Norway gives its blessing and washes its hands.
Smart move by the Norwegian Navy. Being around US Navy ships that have immature idiots looking at their idiot phones, gawking at asses and other idiots on the bridges of these floating targets is a high risk.
Obviously the Norwegians have learned their lesson from from having Americans at the bridge, like there was the last time the Norwegians lost a frigate.
lol
Norway dont participate because knows that is useless…that 4 ships are observe by one Oscar class Sub armed with 24 P-700 antiship missile ( 650km range and 750kg warhead), one Slava cruise ship armed with 16 P-700 …guided using radar and Satellite….beside Yasen class, Akula and Kilo Subs deployed in Barents sea to protect Delta IV SLBM subs.
MURMANSK, May 7. /TASS/. The Northern Fleet’s small anti-submarine warfare ships Yunga, Brest and Snezhnogorsk have deployed to the Barents Sea to search for a notional enemy’s submarine in interaction with aviation during planned drills, the Fleet’s press office reported on Thursday. “At the Northern Fleet’s combat training ranges in the Barents Sea, the naval search and strike force has started qualification tactical drills to search for and eliminate a notional enemy’s submarine. These drills are running in interaction with Il-38 anti-submarine warfare planes of the Northern Fleet’s Air Force and Air Defense Army,” the press office said in a statement. On May 6, the small anti-submarine warfare ships left the port of Polyarny, which is the main naval base of the Kola Flotilla of All-Arms Forces. The minesweepers Vladimir Gumanenko, Kotelnich and Solovetsky Yunga provided mine countermeasures support for the hunter-killer group and its deployment to the designated areas of the Barents Sea, the statement says. During their deployment to the sea, the crews of the small anti-submarine warfare ships will hold communications drills, practice the elements of joint maneuvering as part of a naval group and conduct several ship damage control exercises. At the final stage of the drills that will last several days the Northern Fleet sailors are planning to hold a number of combat training exercises, including torpedo firings, the press office specified. Albatros-class small anti-submarine warfare ships are armed with AK-176M and AK-630M artillery and anti-aircraft missile systems, RBU-6000 rocket launchers and torpedoes, and also advanced sonars. Warships of this class are designated to protect the water area and fight submarines in the close-in maritime zone. https://tass.com/defense/1153929
MURMANSK, May 7. /TASS/. The Northern Fleet’s small anti-submarine warfare ships Yunga, Brest and Snezhnogorsk have deployed to the Barents Sea to search for a notional enemy’s submarine in interaction with aviation during planned drills, the Fleet’s press office reported on Thursday. “At the Northern Fleet’s combat training ranges in the Barents Sea, the naval search and strike force has started qualification tactical drills to search for and eliminate a notional enemy’s submarine. These drills are running in interaction with Il-38 anti-submarine warfare planes of the Northern Fleet’s Air Force and Air Defense Army,” the press office said in a statement. On May 6, the small anti-submarine warfare ships left the port of Polyarny, which is the main naval base of the Kola Flotilla of All-Arms Forces. The minesweepers Vladimir Gumanenko, Kotelnich and Solovetsky Yunga provided mine countermeasures support for the hunter-killer group and its deployment to the designated areas of the Barents Sea, the statement says. During their deployment to the sea, the crews of the small anti-submarine warfare ships will hold communications drills, practice the elements of joint maneuvering as part of a naval group and conduct several ship damage control exercises. At the final stage of the drills that will last several days the Northern Fleet sailors are planning to hold a number of combat training exercises, including torpedo firings, the press office specified. Albatros-class small anti-submarine warfare ships are armed with AK-176M and AK-630M artillery and anti-aircraft missile systems, RBU-6000 rocket launchers and torpedoes, and also advanced sonars. Warships of this class are designated to protect the water area and fight submarines in the close-in maritime zone. https://tass.com/defense/1153929
In time of conflict, that puny group would probably not even make it that far north. It is an irritant and not a realistic threat. My take.
From the Cape of Good Hope to the Arctic, from the Mediterranean to the South China Sea, the number of flashpoints that could trigger world war three grows, in keeping with the pattern of history. https://www.ghostsofhistory.wordpress.com/