In a first-of-its-kind event, an American B-1 bomber landed and refuelled at Bodø Air Base inside the Arctic circle, reports local media.
The Barents Observer reports here that the B-1 that landed in Bodø on March 8th is one of four bombers currently deployed to Ørland Air Station in southern Norway.
“The bombers are for the most training together with the Norwegian Air Force, but joint flights have also taken place with Swedish fighter jets.”
You can read more from the source here.
Late last month, four American B-1B Lancers landed at Ørland airport to train with Norwegian forces.
According to a Norwegian military news release issued late last month:
“This is the first time this type of American aircraft has landed on Norwegian soil. The strategic bombers B-1B Lancers from 7th Bomb Wing Dyes Air Force Base in Texas, will for a period train with Norwegian forces.”
Norway’s defence is completely dependent on support from allies in the event of a crisis or war. Therefore, say the Norwegian military, this training with the US Air Force will provide “good conditions for Allied reception and cooperation also in the future”.
Surely it’s time the uk developed a new long range bomber
As a political tool it would serve a purpose
Intervention against foreign countries would be safer and perhaps not require third party support
The deterrent to larger threats like Russia and China would also be welcomed as would the opportunity to rattle the sabre by conducting the kind of long range operations that Russia loves annoying our rapid reaction force with
I’m guessing that our ally America won’t allow us the buy the new b21 raider even though a base to support that platform here would strengthen both us and nato
Whilst we put bombers thousand or more miles from home within a few hundred miles of Russias, we get all excited about the Russians deploying their bombers, within Russia…
Putin is a cbomb, mostly to his own people, but I think we sometimes lack perspective and self awareness.