Two Russian Su-27 Flanker fighter jets, one of which is seen here, escort a pair of Tu-95 Bear bombers in international airspace north of Norway on Feb. 4, 2025. Two Norwegian air force F-35 jets were scrambled to intercept the Russian aircraft. (Norwegian air force)
NATO scrambled two F-35s this week in the Arctic region, where jets intercepted Russian bombers and fighter planes flying near allied airspace, military officials said.
NATO’s quick reaction alert mission in the High North prompted two Royal Norwegian Air Force F-35s to take flight in search of two Russian Tu-95 Bear H bombers escorted by two Flanker-D fighters, Allied Air Command said Wednesday.
“The F-35 advanced capabilities allowed them to gather important information and ensure that the Russian aircraft did not violate NATO airspace,” the NATO command statement said about the Tuesday encounter.
While NATO intercepts of Russian aircraft are not uncommon, the latest incident comes amid increased attention on Arctic military operations.
“A combination of military interests, technological advancements and climate changes point to an increasingly contested High North,” NATO’s Allied Air Command said. “The changing security environment will require careful navigation.”
NATO fighters regularly conduct air policing missions stretching from the Black Sea region to the Baltics and High North.
In this undated photo, a Norwegian air force F-35A Lightning II returns to Evenes Air Station after a NATO air policing mission. Two Norwegian F-35s were scrambled Feb. 4, 2025, to intercept Russian bombers and fighter jets flying near allied airspace, military officials said. (Norwegian armed forces)
A Russian Tu-95 strategic bomber flies north of Norway on Feb. 4, 2025. Two Norwegian F-35s were scrambled to intercept Russian bombers and fighter jets flying near allied airspace, military officials said. (Norwegian air force)
Two Russian Tu-95 strategic bombers escorted by a fighter fly north of Norway on Feb. 4, 2025. Two Norwegian air force F-35 jets were scrambled to intercept the Russian aircraft. (Norwegian air force)
Tuesday’s intercepts were launched from an air base in Norway. The alliance conducts a similar mission from a base in Iceland to monitor Russian military planes in the region.
An increased Russian and Chinese presence in the Arctic also has caught the eye of President Donald Trump, who has said that he wants the Danish territory of Greenland to come under American control.
“I don’t know what claim Denmark has to it, but it would be a very unfriendly act if they didn’t allow that to happen,” Trump told reporters Jan. 25. “Because that’s for protection of the free world. It’s not for us; it’s for the free world.”
Greenland is part of the Danish realm and was ruled directly by Denmark from the early 18th century until home rule began on the island in 1979. In 2009, Greenland approved a referendum granting it autonomy in all matters except defense, security and foreign policy.
Denmark has reiterated that Greenland is not for sale, but Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has said having more American troops based there would be a welcome development.
At a news conference last month, Trump declined to rule out using military or economic coercion to take control of Greenland. He hasn’t said whether he would consider a larger troop presence an alternative to U.S. ownership.
The U.S. has long maintained a base in Greenland, where troops are involved in a ballistic missile early warning mission.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, when asked Monday about the feud between the United States and Denmark, avoided taking a position.
“What I think is very useful is that President Trump alerted us to the fact that when it comes to the High North, there is a geopolitical and strategic issue at stake,” Rutte said.
