US deploying B-1 bombers to Norway to send a message to Russia

[Montauk6]

Source: CNN

The US Air Force is deploying B-1 bombers to Norway for the first time in a move that sends a clear message to Moscow that the US military will operate in the strategically important Arctic region and demonstrate that it will defend allies in the area against any Russian aggression close to the country's border.

Four US Air Force B-1 bombers and approximately 200 personnel from Dyess Air Force in Texas are being deployed to Orland Air Base in Norway, and within the next three weeks, missions will begin in the Arctic Circle and in international airspace off northwestern Russia, according to multiple defense officials.

Until now, military missions over the Arctic had been largely staged out of the United Kingdom. The movement of forces much closer to Russia means the US will be able to react more quickly to potential Russia aggression, officials say.

"Operational readiness and our ability to support allies and partners and respond with speed is critical to combined success," said Gen. Jeff Harrigian, commander of US Air Forces in Europe and Africa.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/08/politics/us-b-1-bombers-norway/index.html

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. So we're supporting NATO again, apparently. Good.

[zipplewrath]

2. If they were serious

It would be B-2 bombers. The B-1b's should never have been built/bought. They were obsolete before they were produced, which is roughly what Carter tried to tell everyone. They are sending the B-1b's because it isn't worth exposing the remaining secret information about the B-2's to anyone. This is a "we can screw with you" move on our part, because we know the Russians still fear the ability of us to strike quickly.

[Calista241]

21. They'd never send the B-2's anywhere like that.

One, they can fly anywhere they want to from where they are right now.

And two, just flying them around gives an adversary the chance to examine their flight signature and increases the potential for them to be detected more readily. They’d be able to actually test their radar acquisition capability against the real thing, rather than in computer simulations. Outside of the US, and maybe Diego Garcia, the chances of B-2’s being based anywhere else are negligible.

The B-1b’s may technically be obsolete in a modern air defense environment, but them being there does send a message. They’re still extremely fast, have a minimal radar signature (for a non-stealth aircraft), and can carry a pretty heavy payload. And we’ve forward deployed them before, to Japan and Guam when the North Koreans started rattling sabers. Carter said they were obsolete because it would took them 12+ hours to fly somewhere to deliver their nuclear bombs. An ICBM could deliver the same weapons in less than 30 minutes.

[ffr]

3. Right on!

[Cicada]

4. We're not going to let those Norway losers stay ahead of us in per capita evs.

[orangecrush]

5. Ruh Roh!

Putin seems to be getting LOTS of bad news lately!

[TomVilmer]

6. Yankee, please go home!

Do not push your war machines to the Nordic countris.
Support the good and peaceful efforts of the government of Norway in stead.

[Escurumbele]

7. Well Tom, its either Putin or us...what is your choice?

Unfortunately Putin cannot speak any other language, but the USA is not going to start a war in Norway, it is actually trying to avoid one.

[Duppers]

17. Exactly.

[TomVilmer]

19. It would be a very stupid world with so few choices ...

... but happily where I live there are infinite possibilities.

As you could see by reading the given link, Norway is one of the very few countries who very much knows and expands this knowledge. They normally have the fine habit of stopping wars with all other tools than the limited military ones - though the recent government sadly is going in another direction.

PS: Putin does not speak Norwegian. He can do a little Swedish though, and very basic English, but reads and speak German. But you might be metaphorically speaking...

[LudwigPastorius]

18. The U.S. military doesn't have much of a presence in Norway, and...

it would have none if the government of Norway didn't want one.

But, if you and your countrymen are comfortable with Putin, Crimea, Ukraine, the scrapping of the INF treaty, and having the headquarters of the Northern Fleet 60 miles away from your border, then I encourage you to take that up with your leaders.

[TomVilmer]

20. The U.S. military has that bad habit of "spreading democracy" ...

... with arms, which normally just leaves more chaos and ruins. The Russian foreign policy is of course worse. Norway is one of the very few countries who has knowledge and practice in stopping wars, choosing all other tools than the limited military ones.

My own country is Denmark, a neighbor to Norway. Both are part of NATO, but we do not even have a territorial defense anymore. Not because we are relaying on the US, but because it seems so unnecessary. Though our local politicians are talking about threats, our military leaders has a fine intelligence agency and therefore no fear of a direct military attack from Russia - and are normally much more open to constructive talks.

One of my goals is to see NATO live up to its very own primary purposes and principles:
The Parties undertake, as set forth in the Charter of the United Nations, to settle any international dispute in which they may be involved by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security and justice are not endangered, and to refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force in any manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations.

[Warpy]

8. Online friends in the Baltic states have been very nervous lately

especially since Putin's grab of the Crimean peninsula. Russia has had troops massed on their border for a couple of years. Maybe realizing those small states have a bigger dog guarding the states than Putin has will get him to back down.

I think the only thing stopping him was that Dumdum wasn't able to pull us completely out of NATO.

As a side note, anyone looking for a time suck and is interested in former Soviet states needs to check out the Bald & Bankrupt videos at YouTube. Most of the videos are short, but Benjamin speaks understandable Russian and heads out to the villages and farms, often in winter, to do a lot of listening to the local people. It's addictive stuff.

Most places have what were once big and bustling public buildings like schools, hospitals, political centers, and amenities for travelers. Most of the places are falling down, along with the apartment blocks, as the local people just go back to their farms as it they had never been there. I have to think the collapse of the Roman Empire was much the same, that without support from Rome, an economy that allowed the few to live in stone buildings with hypocaust central heating saw those buildings become uninhabitable without support (rubles in the USSR case, slaves in Rome's) and quickly fall into decay. It's fascinating stuff, in any case.

[Ahpook]

12. Yeah, he has very interesting content

See his latest one in Estonia? He does deliberately go to the more secluded towns, but still interesting.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

9. This place isn't close to Norway

[paleotn]

10. Giving someone a moment of pause.

[TomSlick]

11. Not to nay-say - well, at least not just to nay-say -

The US deployment of missiles to Italy and Turkey was at least one of the causes of the Cuban Missile Crises. What they didn't teach us in high school history is that the US removed the missiles from Italy and Turkey as part of the deal for the USSR to remove its missiles from Cuba.

Russia will certainly look for a response to placing strategic bombers in its backyard. I certainly hope the government of Norway approved this action since it may the the target of any Russian response.

I am not sure this is a great idea.

[iluvtennis]

13. Good. We need to "flex our military muscles" with Russia to let them know we're watching them. nt

[pecosbob]

14. Wonder if today's suspected Russian cyber-attack on a Tampa area town's water supply was in response

Pretty bad when they're trying to poison people remotely.

[LisaL]

15. It's not known at this time who tried to poison the water.

NT

[pecosbob]

16. That is correct...all conjecture.