NATO will hold its largest maneuver in decades in February. One scenario brings Norway and Russia into focus.
Kirkenes – 90,000 soldiers, thousands of tanks, many fighter jets: The NATO defense alliance is rehearsing an emergency during the large-scale “Steadfast Defender” exercise in February to underline its deterrence against Kremlin autocrat Vladimir Putin in Russia.
According to media reports, the Bundeswehr will take part with 12,000 soldiers, 3,000 vehicles and 30 aircraft. The focus of the German armed forces will be on moving the 10th Panzer Division to Lithuania in the Baltics. At the same time, other NATO associations are organizing loudly Picture the possible defense of the Norwegian border in the far north of Scandinavia.
Major NATO maneuvers: border between Norway and Russia comes into focus
Because: Norway has a 197.7 kilometer long land border with Russia and a 23.2 km long sea border in the Varangerfjord of the Barents Sea. The fact that NATO is carrying out massive exercises here gives the impression that the military alliance considers the extreme northeast of Norway to be a possible Achilles heel. There are several reasons for this: the strength of the Russian Northern Fleet, the manageable size of the Norwegian armed forces, and the geographical location.
This geographical location makes defending the country’s border a huge challenge. The fjords, with their water and their hills, form natural barriers against potential attackers. But these fjords would be even more difficult to defend if the Barents Sea was not controlled. This is where Moscow’s large northern fleet comes into play.
Russian Northern Fleet: Moscow has large warships and many submarines in the Barents Sea
It has seven bases between the Bolshaya Lopatka naval base in the Zapadnaya Liza fjord and the city of Murmansk, including the main base in Severomorsk. Lopatka is only around 55 kilometers from the Norwegian border. There are currently only estimates as to how large the Northern Fleet is. Russia’s only aircraft carrier, the Admiral “Flota Sowetskogo Soyuza Kuznetsov”, is currently in dry dock in Murmansk for repairs.
The large missile battle cruiser “Admiral Nakhimov” and the missile cruiser “Marshal Ustinov” are also part of the Northern Fleet. Like the “Moskva”, which was sunk by the Ukrainians in April 2022, the latter warship belongs to the Project 1164 type class. The missile destroyers “Admiral Tschabanenko” and “Admiral Ushakov” as well as three slightly smaller but modern frigates of the Project 22350 ship class complete a powerful association. Last but not least, a group of several Project 22350 nuclear submarines lies in the bases and shipyards of the Kola Peninsula.
Norwegian-Russian border: Norway’s armed forces are comparatively small
Two very modern nuclear submarines of the Borei class (Project 955) also belong to the Northern Fleet’s inventory, the “Yuri Dolgoruky” (commissioned in 2013) and the “Knyaz Vladimir” (commissioned in 2020). It is also known that MiG-31 fighter jets are stationed at a military base near Murmansk and patrol over the Barents Sea.
And Norway with its around 5.5 million inhabitants? The Scandinavians have to secure their huge country with a comparatively small army. On the water, the Norwegian Navy with its five modern Fridtjof Nansen-class frigates would probably be inferior. The country is currently purchasing 34 state-of-the-art F-35 stealth fighters from the USA for the Royal Norwegian Air Force.
Norwegian Armed Forces: F-35 fighter jets are stationed in the center of the country
However, these are stationed at the main base, the Ørland military airport, in the middle of the country. In the air force exercise Arctic Challenge Exercise (ACE), the Norwegians rehearse the defense of Scandinavia in the air every two years together with the Swedish and Finnish air forces. Norway’s real weak point is probably its army. According to the Global Firepower Index (GFP) Of only 36 Leopard 2A4NO main battle tanks, only 29 are currently operational (as of January 22nd). According to the Bundeswehr’s understanding, that wouldn’t even be enough for a closed battalion (46 tanks). The question remains whether the Norwegians would throw all of their few battle tanks to the northeastern border in an emergency.
The North Brigade near Bardufoss is at least the only Norwegian army brigade. Like from one Army YouTube video As can be seen, it probably has the majority of the main battle tanks and the almost 110 CV 90 infantry fighting vehicles. A brigade usually consists of 4,500 to 5,000 soldiers. In total, the land forces should only have around 7,800 soldiers. Characteristic: Loud Forsvaret websiteas the Norwegian armed forces are called in the local language, the army is almost entirely stationed near the Norwegian-Russian border.
Norwegian Army: Northern Brigade is supposed to secure the border with Russia
The Northern Brigade therefore includes an independent mechanized brigade with the brigade command, two mechanized combat battalions (tank battalion and telemark battalion), a light tank combat battalion (2nd battalion), an artillery battalion, an engineer battalion and a reconnaissance battalion. In addition, the Finnmark Land Command (Porsanger Battalion) is responsible for border protection. In February 2023, Oslo announced the order for 54 new Leopard 2 A8 NOR main battle tanks. However, these are still under construction at the German arms company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann in the Bavarian capital Munich.
As the Picture had reported that the British are providing an aircraft carrier for the upcoming major NATO exercise. The close military connection between the Royal Navy and the Norwegians since the Second World War, as well as Scotland’s proximity across the North Sea, suggests that this aircraft carrier is intended to train for a possible defense of Norway. Because if the Russians were to succeed in advancing across the Norwegian border in an emergency, they could also get their troops into position behind Sweden and Finland. At least that’s the theory surrounding the Ukraine war. (pm)