Fighter jets in the skies over Kola and Barents Sea, Norway scrambled F-16

The training takes place over land in some areas of the Kola Peninsula as well as in the skies over the training ranges in Barents Sea, the press-service of Russia’s Northern Fleet informs.

On Monday, a Norwegian F-16 fighter jet broke the sound barrier in the Porsanger area in Finnmark en route towards the Barents Sea, the regional newspaper iFinnmark reports. 

Press spokesperson with the Norwegian Joint Head Quarters, Major Elisabeth Eikeland, confirms to the Barents Observer that the F-16 was up north on identification mission for NATO’s Quick Reaction Alert (QRA).

“QRA had a flight to Northern Norway yesterday and identified three Russian planes in international airspace; one Fencer and two Foxhound,” Eikeland says.

Fencer and Foxhound are NATO classification of Sukhoi Su-24 and MiG-31.

F-16 fighter jets at Bodø Air Base are routinely scrambled to identify Russian planes near Norwegian air space in the north.

The current training with interceptors and bombers in the Russian north is aimed to develop a uniformed methodology for the flight crew of the regiment, as well as checking the readiness of the engineering staff, ground service and specialists to ensure the flight tasks, according to the brief by the Northern Fleet.

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