Not too much longer before these birds are out of service. Norway was one of the four original foreign customers of the F-16 and these birds have seen plenty of action over their life including campaigns over Libya, Afghanistan and the Balkans.
Um... that's not a Leopard 2. Anyone know what tank this is and who it belongs to?
Danish Leopard 1A5-DK
Task Unit 5 in Anbar, Iraq
Probably not Danish since Denmark's Leopard 1s are out of service with the exception of bridge layers and combat engineering variants.
Same with Norwegian leopard 1s. We used to be a sizable operator of the type. Even the Leopard 1 is being replaced by Leopard 2 based combat engineering vehicles (Wisent 2).
Probably not Danish since Denmark's Leopard 1s are out of service with the exception of bridge layers and combat engineering variants.
Same with Norwegian leopard 1s. We used to be a sizable operator of the type. Even the Leopard 1 is being replaced by Leopard 2 based combat engineering vehicles (Wisent 2).
*You'll see me refer to ships with the prefix of KNM - Kongelig Norske Marine - which is used in Norway and translates to Royal Norwegian Navy. HNoMS is the standard prefix for writing in English and stands for His/Her Norwegian Majesty's Ship. KV prefixes are an abbreviated version of the KystVakt, or as it's also known, Coast Guard.
Alright, here goes. The Norwegian Navy has some 77 ships, but few are combatant craft, or at least are armed year-round. Of these 6 are submarines of the Ula-Class. S300 is KNM Ula, S301 KNM Utsira, S302 KNM Utstein, S303 KNM Utvær, S304 KNM Uthaug and S305 KNM Uredd. The Ula-Class, known as Type-210 is a heavily modified Type-209 with a number of Norwegian specific subsystems and features that maximize their littoral and cold-water performance. These boats had to be tropicalized for operations in the Mediterranean. Within NATO they are renound for their operational readiness and utilization rate, with ops in the Mediterranean showing a 96% operational readiness and utilization rate, the highest of any ship class, submarine or surface vessel, in any nation.
S300. KNM Ula and KNM Uthaug. S300 isn't seen too much anymore, and I honestly don't know why
S301
KNM Utsira has been the primary trial submarine for the IDAS anti-aircraft missile, shown here with a Royal Navy Merlin ASW helo in sight. I can neither confirm nor deny whether Norwegian submarines carry said missile. Sorry.
S302. Another submarine that's rarely photographed, shown here with several masts up.
S303. Far more photographed, S303 is shown here from the bridge of the NATO Submarine Rescue System SRV.
Support of MJK frogman teams is a primary responsibility of the Ula-class.
S304
Cramped conditions, as small submarines tend to have.
S305. KNM Uredd and KNM Utstein. Here we can see the some of the more non-visible external freatures of the Type-210s that set then apart from the Type-209s. An X-stern plane arrangement and their twin vertical rudders allow then superior shallow water performance.
They are to be replaced by a Type 212 mod known as the Type 212 CD.
With the loss of KNM Helge Ingstad the Norwegian Navy now has just 4 frigates - the Nansen-class ASW frigate. Designed to counter ever-present Russian submarines, the Nansen-class was designed with anti-submarine warfare in mind as their primary mission. Through the design process it was determined that an air-defence capability would be needed as well and the ships were armed with the highly visible SPY-1(F) mast, the smallest of the SPY-1 radars and a MK41 VLS system for ESSM missiles, and accommodations for the Standard series if needed. Their main combat management system is a combination of the American AEGIS and Kongsberg designed MSI 2005F ASW suite. Their AEGIS baseline is not BDM compliant.
Primary armament is 32-64 ESSM missiles, with the Block II variant coming on line in the next few years, 8 NSM anti-ship missiles - proudly serving the Norwegian and American Navies - Sting Ray lightweight torpedoes and depth bombs and a 76mm OTO Melara Super Rapid cannon, and staple of naval warfare the world over. NH90 helos provide ASW and SAR capability as well.
Ships of the class are F310 KNM Fridtjof Nansen, F311 KNM Roald Amundsen F312 KNM Otto Sverdrup and F314 KNM Thor Heyerdahl, named after Norwegian polar explorers. F313 KNM Helge Ingstad is to be written off and dismantled.
F310. Nansen has seen deployment in the waters of the Persian Gulf near Iraq and the Horn of African. No Norwegian should ever be subjected to waters that warm.
F311
F312
F314. KNM Thor Heyerdahl is easier to recognize from the top down as the vessel has 16 VLS cells, instead of the 8 standard of the other Nansen class frigates.
F313 Helge Ingstad was sunk following a collision with a merchant ship during exercise Trident Juncture 2019. She will not be repaired.
Primary armament is 32-64 ESSM missiles, with the Block II variant coming on line in the next few years, 8 NSM anti-ship missiles - proudly serving the Norwegian and American Navies - Sting Ray lightweight torpedoes and depth bombs and a 76mm OTO Melara Super Rapid cannon, and staple of naval warfare the world over. NH90 helos provide ASW and SAR capability as well.
Ships of the class are F310 KNM Fridtjof Nansen, F311 KNM Roald Amundsen F312 KNM Otto Sverdrup and F314 KNM Thor Heyerdahl, named after Norwegian polar explorers. F313 KNM Helge Ingstad is to be written off and dismantled.
F310. Nansen has seen deployment in the waters of the Persian Gulf near Iraq and the Horn of African. No Norwegian should ever be subjected to waters that warm.
F311
F312
F314. KNM Thor Heyerdahl is easier to recognize from the top down as the vessel has 16 VLS cells, instead of the 8 standard of the other Nansen class frigates.
F313 Helge Ingstad was sunk following a collision with a merchant ship during exercise Trident Juncture 2019. She will not be repaired.
Rounding out the combatant craft are the diminutive Skjold-Class corvettes. Armed and sized like a Fast Attack Craft or Motor Torpedo Boat, their superior handling in rough seas states classifies then as larger vessels. They're the fastest combatant craft on Earth, easily outrunning speed boats at a blistering +70 knots.
And for a ship of just 47 meters and a whooping 275 tons they aren't lacking in firepower. Packing 8 NSM missiles and one 76mm Super Rapid their small size, stealthy profile and all-aspect signature suppression design philosophy makes then a threat to all but the most well armored and armed warships.
The class includes P960 KNM Skjold, P961 KNM Storm, P962 KNM Skudd, P963 KNM Steil, P964 KNM Glimt and P965 KNM Gnist.
P960
P961
P962
P963
P964
P965
And for a ship of just 47 meters and a whooping 275 tons they aren't lacking in firepower. Packing 8 NSM missiles and one 76mm Super Rapid their small size, stealthy profile and all-aspect signature suppression design philosophy makes then a threat to all but the most well armored and armed warships.
The class includes P960 KNM Skjold, P961 KNM Storm, P962 KNM Skudd, P963 KNM Steil, P964 KNM Glimt and P965 KNM Gnist.
P960
P961
P962
P963
P964
P965
Not generally counted among combatant ships, owning to their civilian missions, the OPVs of the Norwegian Outer Coast Guard are armed and can, and have been mounted with anti-ship missiles and ASW gear.
They are W303 KV Svalbard, W312 KV Alesund, W318 KV Harstad, W320 KV Nordkapp, W321 KV Senja and W322 KV Andenes, W340 KV Barentshav, W341 KV Bergen and W342 KV Sortland.
The ships of the Norwegian Inner Coast Guard are smaller patrol vessels that are not generally armed with anything more then machine guns and light cannons.
W303. KV Svalbard is the Royal Norwegian Navy's only heavy icebreaker and recently became the newest, and first Norwegian vessel to reach the geographic North Pole, a feat accomplished by only a dozen other ships.
W312. A one-off class of vessels, KV Alesund is primarily used for EEZ patroling and fishery protection/inspection.
W318. Another one-off class of vessels. KV Harstad is a multi-purpose vessel, but is typically used for disaster relief including responding to oil spills, fires and towing stricken or distressed vessels up to 200,000 tons.
W320. The three Nordkapp class ships, KV Nordkapp, KV Senja and KV Andenes are also used primarily for general duties around Norway's extensive EEZ - rescue, fishery inspection, research support, policing - but are also war-time escorts and are fitted with stations for NSM missiles and depth bombs. The three ships of the class are being replaced starting in 2022.
W321
W322. A full picture of Nordkapp-class OPV KV Andenes to round out the class.-
W340. Like the Nordkapp class, the Barentshavs of the Outer Coast Guard are used for patrolling Norway's maritime EEZ. But uniquely they are powered by liquefied natural gas, leading to a 90% reduction in NOx emissions and a 20% decrease in CO2 release. They are the primary support ship for the NATO Submarine Rescue System.
W341
W342
They are W303 KV Svalbard, W312 KV Alesund, W318 KV Harstad, W320 KV Nordkapp, W321 KV Senja and W322 KV Andenes, W340 KV Barentshav, W341 KV Bergen and W342 KV Sortland.
The ships of the Norwegian Inner Coast Guard are smaller patrol vessels that are not generally armed with anything more then machine guns and light cannons.
W303. KV Svalbard is the Royal Norwegian Navy's only heavy icebreaker and recently became the newest, and first Norwegian vessel to reach the geographic North Pole, a feat accomplished by only a dozen other ships.
W312. A one-off class of vessels, KV Alesund is primarily used for EEZ patroling and fishery protection/inspection.
W318. Another one-off class of vessels. KV Harstad is a multi-purpose vessel, but is typically used for disaster relief including responding to oil spills, fires and towing stricken or distressed vessels up to 200,000 tons.
W320. The three Nordkapp class ships, KV Nordkapp, KV Senja and KV Andenes are also used primarily for general duties around Norway's extensive EEZ - rescue, fishery inspection, research support, policing - but are also war-time escorts and are fitted with stations for NSM missiles and depth bombs. The three ships of the class are being replaced starting in 2022.
W321
W322. A full picture of Nordkapp-class OPV KV Andenes to round out the class.-
W340. Like the Nordkapp class, the Barentshavs of the Outer Coast Guard are used for patrolling Norway's maritime EEZ. But uniquely they are powered by liquefied natural gas, leading to a 90% reduction in NOx emissions and a 20% decrease in CO2 release. They are the primary support ship for the NATO Submarine Rescue System.
W341
W342
Frigates the size of destroyers, corvettes the size of OPVs. What is happening ?
You guys probably say the same thing about our boats. There is no international standards for naming/classifying ships. Its very interesting to learn about the design/classification choices every country makes to have a fleet of ships tailored to their needs.
Why ?
Easily my favorite ship among all Norwegian ships.
Don't know much about ice-breakers. It that ship nuclear powered ? The Russians, I think, have a few nuke-powered ice breakers. How do ice breakers break ice ? Do they just bulldoze their way, or is there something else ?
What's that on the nose of that ship ? Rubber pads ? What's the use of those ? To push other ships like the small tug boats do ?
The water deposits on the little depressions created by metal shrinkage. Shrinkage seems to happen on all boats, everywhere. Is there any way to prevent it ?
Also that's a good looking deck. Many NATO ships don't have guide rails at the edges like IN ships do. I wonder why we have them :
Frigates the size of destroyers, corvettes the size of OPVs. What is happening ?
You guys probably say the same thing about our boats. There is no international standards for naming/classifying ships. Its very interesting to learn about the design/classification choices every country makes to have a fleet of ships tailored to their needs.
It's definitely confusing for sure. In Norway ships are classified based on their mission and sea state handling. Frigates are ASW ships, no matter their size, where as destroyers are air-defence/land-attack and cruisers are command and control and air-defence. The Nansen class frigates are huge, but they are ultimately designed as ASW craft and were classified thusly.
The Skjold class is diminutive, and their mission is identically to almost every other fast attack craft or missile boat in existence, but their handling in poor seas improves their hull classification, since they handle better on the open sea then most FACs, which are largely littoral and would be moored during a storm.
Only Russia has nuclear icebreakers, so no, KV Svalbard is conventionally powered. As far as how they break ice...
Icebreakers break ice not by bulldozing it, but by crushing it very slowly and very deliberately, using constant adjustments and measurements to find where the ice is flowing, where it's thinnest and where it's most breakable and targeting those areas. Icebreakers use reinforced bows and sterns and gravity to crush ice, rising up above it and smashing down upon it, breaking it from the top down. KV Svalbard is a double-acting icebreaker, meaning it can break ice in either direction.
If ice is thin enough a ship can plow through it though. It's not impossible, but icebreakers and large commercial vessels that transit icy areas are generally only reinforced along their bow and stern for smashing ice, not ramming it. Russia's Baltika, shown in the video below, is the first "oblique" icebreaker, meaning it can break ice not only in front and behind the ship, but also sideways.
Also that's a good looking deck. Many NATO ships don't have guide rails at the edges like IN ships do. I wonder why we have them :
NATO ships, for radar return reduction purposes on newer or stealthy ships, don't use guard rails since they're a quality reflector of radar signals. Instead they use tethers to keep sailors safe during time on deck while at sea, or eve when moored in port.
Sweden's Visby class corvettes do the same.
On their helo pad they do have guard rails.
But they're collapsible.
It's the same with Norway's Nansen class frigates, as we can see with two pictures of KNM Thor Heyerdahl. With an embarked NH90 the rails are collapsed for safety reasons during landing or take-off ops.
And where they are erected, keeping a helo safe when secured to the ship's deck
So NATO ships do have guard rails, but generally only on their flight deck. Given the majority of radar returns on a ship will come from their side or front profile, these areas are generally kept clutter free so as not to compromise their radar signature.
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Soviet mini-sub discovered in Jarfjord by Norwegian special forces in 1990
The Soviet Northern Fleet’s secret underwater mission deep into Jarfjord near Kirkenes happened the same autumn as Mikhail Gorbachev was announced winner of the Nobel Peace Price by the committee in Oslo.
Broadcasted on Sunday evening, the NRK documentary told a story never known to public before. Link to the program here (not possible to watch from outside Norway).
Skipshavn is a small bay on the western shores of Jarfjord, east of Kirkenes on Norway’s Barents Sea coast. By sailing, the bay is about 25 nautical miles from the maritime border to Russia.
Map: Barents Observer / Google Earth
After receiving reports about suspicious activities in the area in June 1990, military divers first discovered tracks on the seafloor. Coming back a few months later for more thorough investigation, the divers could see new tracks that were not there on the previous dives.
We then decided to put the bay under surveillance, said former officer on duty with the military command headquarters of northern Norway, Tore Lasse Moen, interviewed in the documentary by NRK.
The tracks found on the seafloor in Skipshavn, Jarfjord. Map from the archive of the Norwegian Defense
A team of four from the Navy Special Operation Command was sent on a top secret mission to monitor the remote located bay. This was late autumn 1990 and the group stayed in the area for a few months. Winter came, and then, on November 20th, one of the soldiers could with his binoculars suddenly see air-bobbles in the water.
A mini-submarine came to surfaced and stayed there for a few minutes before silently diving and disappeared in the dark.
Jarfjord. Photo: Atle Staalesen
The mini-submarine had no sail and was estimated to be 7 to 8 meters long and had floting pontoons on each side. Norwegian military experts belived the submarine could be rather similar to the rescue- and seafloor mission submarines operated by the Soviet Northern Fleet. Such mini-sub is said to exist also with tracks to move along the seafloor.
The mini-subs of the Project 1837 and similar, though, have a small sail, while other special operations mini-subs have a flat top. Like those believed to have been inside Swedish waters in recent years.
Another special mission mini-submarine that could look like it has pontoons on each side if it is just partly over the surface is the Piranha (Losos-class by NATO-name). This submarine was dedicated for Spetsnaz operations and capable of delivering 6 divers.
Swedish author and expert on military history, Lars Gyllenhaal, writes in his blog about the submarine and how it was used. His reporting is largely based on Russian sources.
Piranha-class (NATO: Losos-class) special purpose submarine for special operations by Spetsnaz forces. Photo from Covert Shores
The Norwegian Special Forces team that discoered the mini-submarine in Jarfjord in Finnmark was led by Trond Bolle, later a well-known commando of Marinejergerkommandoen (Navy Special Operations Command) who was killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan in 2010.
Bolle is one of few Norwegian soldiers awarded (posthumously) the War Cross with Sword.
At the time, Soviet special missions subs were attached to what today is known as Russia’s Main Directorate for Deep Sea Research, based in Olenya Bay northwest of Murmansk on the Kola Peninsula.
The fleet of special purpose submarines in the late days of the Soviet Union consisted of both mini-submarines that could serve as rescue subs, with a hatch where divers could leave and enter, as well as small submarines with tracks to move on the seafloor.
Such mini-subs, though, can’t sail for a long distance by themself. It can therefor be assumed that a mother ship likely brought the sub to near the Norwegian, Soviet maritime border in the Varanger fjord, from where the small craft continued the voyage into Jarfjord independently.
Tore Lasse Moen said they had two theories about what could be the aim of the mission if it was Russian special operations forces, the Spetsnaz: It could be a training to enter into another country’s territory, or it could be part of a mapping of a location where a possible future operation could happen.
Norway has several military installations in the area around the Varanger fjord.
A mini-submarine of Project 1837 attached to the Northern Fleet’s India-class rescue and special missions submarine. Here seen at port in Murmansk in the summer of 1991. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Tore Lasse Moen said the military command and ministry in Oslo were informed about the Soviet Navy’s serious violation of Norwegian waters up north. The Soviet mini-sub was never seen in the area after that.
Jarfjord. Photo: Atle Staalesen
The incident in Jarfjord was, however, not the only discovery of tracks on the seafloor. The NRK documentary also featured an interview with Jon Røkenes, a diver in Alta that could tell about video-recordings he made just outside the harbor on February 21st, 1991.
Also Røkenes has a background from the Navy Special Operations Command. After showing the video recordings of the tracks on the seafloor to the military command headquarters, he was told not to talk about what he had seen.
NRK Finnmark has posted the video of the seafloor crawler tracks and the interview with Jon Røkenes.
The information now made public in Norway is somewhat similar to stories from Sweden.
H I Sutton, a submarine expert publishing the blog Covert Shores, tells about mysterious tracks on the seafloor just next to Kallax airport in Luleå, discovered in 1983. Kallax is Sweden’s northernmost air base for fighter jets.
Also in southern Sweden, tracks and footprints from subsea vehicles have been discovered on the seafloor. Also in recent years.
Soviet mini-sub discovered in Jarfjord by Norwegian special forces in 1990
Russia’s electronic warfare test causes radio- and radar disturbances in Norway
The radio- and radar disturbances seen in Finnmark are most likely not intended but a side effect of the Russian Northern Fleet’s testing of the radio-technical armament of its latest frigate currently going on in the Barents Sea, according to the Norwegian intelligence service, NTB reports.
No details are given on which Norwegian radar(s) are affected or on which frequencies radio signals are disturbed.
Per Eirik Heimdal with the Norwegian Communication Authority says to Aftenposten that the disturbances are measured near Kirkenes and are coming from 60 degrees to the northeast. From Kirkenes, that would be the Barents Sea north of and along the coast of the Kola Peninsula.
Heimdal says there are general noise “over a large frequency field”, but the agency has so far not been able to identify a clear picture of the radio disturbances.
He underlines that there are no reported trouble from aviation authorities or others that depend on GPS signals.
Norwegian Globus II (left) and other radars in Vardø on the coast to the Barents Sea, a few tens of kilometers from the maritime border to Russian waters. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
On Wednesday, the press-service of the Northern Fleet announced the departure from Severomorsk by “Admiral Kasatonov”, the second new frigate of Project 22350.
It is normal to check any new navy vessels’ armament and warfare systems before the vessel is officially handed over to the navy.
Weapons testing on board “Admiral Kasatonov” started on November 20th in the White Sea when both Calibr and Onyx cruise missiles were test-fired.
After the White Sea testing period, the vessel sailed north to her new homebase in Severomorsk on the Kola Peninsula.
Frigate Admiral Kasatonov. Photo: Northern Fleet
The on-going radio-technical armament checks includes fly-overs by various types of aircraft from the Northern Fleet as well as the air defence forces along the coast of the Kola Peninsula.
In May, the Barents Observer reported about Russia’s new systems for radio-electronic warfare installed along the country’s Arctic coast and how they are able to jam foreign ships and aircrafts thousands of kilometres away.
Norway and Russia share a 200 km long land border and maritime border in the Barents Sea all north to beyond the waters between Svalbard and Franz Josef Land in the Arctic.
Russia’s electronic warfare test causes radio- and radar disturbances in Norway
The Soviet Northern Fleet’s secret underwater mission deep into Jarfjord near Kirkenes happened the same autumn as Mikhail Gorbachev was announced winner of the Nobel Peace Price by the committee in Oslo.
Broadcasted on Sunday evening, the NRK documentary told a story never known to public before. Link to the program here (not possible to watch from outside Norway).
Skipshavn is a small bay on the western shores of Jarfjord, east of Kirkenes on Norway’s Barents Sea coast. By sailing, the bay is about 25 nautical miles from the maritime border to Russia.
After receiving reports about suspicious activities in the area in June 1990, military divers first discovered tracks on the seafloor. Coming back a few months later for more thorough investigation, the divers could see new tracks that were not there on the previous dives.
We then decided to put the bay under surveillance, said former officer on duty with the military command headquarters of northern Norway, Tore Lasse Moen, interviewed in the documentary by NRK.
A team of four from the Navy Special Operation Command was sent on a top secret mission to monitor the remote located bay. This was late autumn 1990 and the group stayed in the area for a few months. Winter came, and then, on November 20th, one of the soldiers could with his binoculars suddenly see air-bobbles in the water.
A mini-submarine came to surfaced and stayed there for a few minutes before silently diving and disappeared in the dark.
The mini-submarine had no sail and was estimated to be 7 to 8 meters long and had floting pontoons on each side. Norwegian military experts belived the submarine could be rather similar to the rescue- and seafloor mission submarines operated by the Soviet Northern Fleet. Such mini-sub is said to exist also with tracks to move along the seafloor.
The mini-subs of the Project 1837 and similar, though, have a small sail, while other special operations mini-subs have a flat top. Like those believed to have been inside Swedish waters in recent years.
Another special mission mini-submarine that could look like it has pontoons on each side if it is just partly over the surface is the Piranha (Losos-class by NATO-name). This submarine was dedicated for Spetsnaz operations and capable of delivering 6 divers.
Swedish author and expert on military history, Lars Gyllenhaal, writes in his blog about the submarine and how it was used. His reporting is largely based on Russian sources.
The Norwegian Special Forces team that discoered the mini-submarine in Jarfjord in Finnmark was led by Trond Bolle, later a well-known commando of Marinejergerkommandoen (Navy Special Operations Command) who was killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan in 2010.
Bolle is one of few Norwegian soldiers awarded (posthumously) the War Cross with Sword.
At the time, Soviet special missions subs were attached to what today is known as Russia’s Main Directorate for Deep Sea Research, based in Olenya Bay northwest of Murmansk on the Kola Peninsula.
The fleet of special purpose submarines in the late days of the Soviet Union consisted of both mini-submarines that could serve as rescue subs, with a hatch where divers could leave and enter, as well as small submarines with tracks to move on the seafloor.
Such mini-subs, though, can’t sail for a long distance by themself. It can therefor be assumed that a mother ship likely brought the sub to near the Norwegian, Soviet maritime border in the Varanger fjord, from where the small craft continued the voyage into Jarfjord independently.
Tore Lasse Moen said they had two theories about what could be the aim of the mission if it was Russian special operations forces, the Spetsnaz: It could be a training to enter into another country’s territory, or it could be part of a mapping of a location where a possible future operation could happen.
Norway has several military installations in the area around the Varanger fjord.
Tore Lasse Moen said the military command and ministry in Oslo were informed about the Soviet Navy’s serious violation of Norwegian waters up north. The Soviet mini-sub was never seen in the area after that.
The incident in Jarfjord was, however, not the only discovery of tracks on the seafloor. The NRK documentary also featured an interview with Jon Røkenes, a diver in Alta that could tell about video-recordings he made just outside the harbor on February 21st, 1991.
Also Røkenes has a background from the Navy Special Operations Command. After showing the video recordings of the tracks on the seafloor to the military command headquarters, he was told not to talk about what he had seen.
NRK Finnmark has posted the video of the seafloor crawler tracks and the interview with Jon Røkenes.
The information now made public in Norway is somewhat similar to stories from Sweden.
H I Sutton, a submarine expert publishing the blog Covert Shores, tells about mysterious tracks on the seafloor just next to Kallax airport in Luleå, discovered in 1983. Kallax is Sweden’s northernmost air base for fighter jets.
Also in southern Sweden, tracks and footprints from subsea vehicles have been discovered on the seafloor. Also in recent years.
Soviet mini-sub discovered in Jarfjord by Norwegian special forces in 1990
Russia’s electronic warfare test causes radio- and radar disturbances in Norway
The radio- and radar disturbances seen in Finnmark are most likely not intended but a side effect of the Russian Northern Fleet’s testing of the radio-technical armament of its latest frigate currently going on in the Barents Sea, according to the Norwegian intelligence service, NTB reports.
No details are given on which Norwegian radar(s) are affected or on which frequencies radio signals are disturbed.
Per Eirik Heimdal with the Norwegian Communication Authority says to Aftenposten that the disturbances are measured near Kirkenes and are coming from 60 degrees to the northeast. From Kirkenes, that would be the Barents Sea north of and along the coast of the Kola Peninsula.
Heimdal says there are general noise “over a large frequency field”, but the agency has so far not been able to identify a clear picture of the radio disturbances.
He underlines that there are no reported trouble from aviation authorities or others that depend on GPS signals.
On Wednesday, the press-service of the Northern Fleet announced the departure from Severomorsk by “Admiral Kasatonov”, the second new frigate of Project 22350.
It is normal to check any new navy vessels’ armament and warfare systems before the vessel is officially handed over to the navy.
Weapons testing on board “Admiral Kasatonov” started on November 20th in the White Sea when both Calibr and Onyx cruise missiles were test-fired.
After the White Sea testing period, the vessel sailed north to her new homebase in Severomorsk on the Kola Peninsula.
The on-going radio-technical armament checks includes fly-overs by various types of aircraft from the Northern Fleet as well as the air defence forces along the coast of the Kola Peninsula.
In May, the Barents Observer reported about Russia’s new systems for radio-electronic warfare installed along the country’s Arctic coast and how they are able to jam foreign ships and aircrafts thousands of kilometres away.
Norway and Russia share a 200 km long land border and maritime border in the Barents Sea all north to beyond the waters between Svalbard and Franz Josef Land in the Arctic.
Russia’s electronic warfare test causes radio- and radar disturbances in Norway
