NATO is scheduled to hold its largest exercise in decades in February. One scenario puts Norway and Russia in the spotlight.

KIRKENES – 90,000 troops, thousands of tanks, and many fighter planes: NATO's defense alliance is rehearsing for an emergency during a large-scale „Steadfast Defender” exercise in February in order to deter Kremlin autocrat Vladimir Putin. Russia To determine.

According to media reports, the German army will participate with 12,000 soldiers, 3,000 vehicles and 30 aircraft. The focus of the German Armed Forces will be on the transfer of the 10th Panzer Division to Lithuania in the Baltic region. Meanwhile, other NATO associations are organizing loudly picture Possible defense of the Norwegian border in the far north of Scandinavia.

Major NATO exercises: The border between Norway and Russia comes into the spotlight

because: Norway It has a 197.7 km long land border with Russia and a 23.2 km long maritime border in the Varangerfjord in the Barents Sea. The fact that NATO is conducting massive exercises here gives the impression that the military alliance views Norway's far north-east as a potential weak point. There are several reasons for this: the strength of the Russian Northern Fleet, the reasonable size of the Norwegian Armed Forces, and geographical location.

This geographical location makes defending the country's borders a major challenge. The fjords, with their waters and hills, form natural barriers against would-be attackers. But defending these straits will be more difficult if the Barents Sea is not controlled. Here comes the great Northern Fleet Moscow in the game.

Russian Northern Fleet: Moscow has large warships and several submarines in the Barents Sea

It has seven bases between the Bolshaya Lopatka naval base in the Zapadnaya Lisa Strait and the city of Murmansk, including the main base in Severomorsk. Lopatka is only about 55 kilometers from the Norwegian border. There are currently only estimates about the size of the Northern Fleet. Russia's only aircraft carrier, Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Soyuzha Kuznetsov, is currently in dry dock in Murmansk for repairs.

The large missile cruiser „Admiral Nakhimov” and the missile cruiser „Marshal Ustinov” are also part of the Northern Fleet. Like the „Moskva” sunk by the Ukrainians in April 2022, the latest warship belongs to the Project 1164 class. The two missile destroyers „Admiral Chabanenko” and „Admiral Ushakov” as well as three slightly smaller but modern frigates „Admiral Chabanenko” and „Admiral Ushakov” The ship class completes a strong Project 22350 engagement. And last but not least, a group of nuclear submarines of Project 22350 are located at bases and shipyards on the Kola Peninsula.

Norwegian-Russian border: The Norwegian armed forces are relatively small

Two very modern nuclear submarines of the Borei class (Project 955) also belong to the inventory of the Northern Fleet, namely “Yuri Dolgoruky” (commissioned in 2013) and “Knyaz Vladimir” (commissioned in 2020). It is also known to be located on a military base Murmansk has MiG-31 fighter jets stationed over the Barents Sea patrol.

And Norway, which has a population of about 5.5 million people? The Scandinavians have to secure their huge country with a relatively small army. On the water, the Norwegian Navy with its five modern Fridtjof Nansen-class frigates is likely to be inferior. The country is currently purchasing 34 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, they are stationed at the main base, Orland Military Airport, in the center of the country. In the Air Force Exercise Arctic Challenge (ACE), the Norwegians train to defend Scandinavia in the air every two years with the Swedish and Finnish air forces. Perhaps Norway's real weakness is its army. According to the Global Firepower Index (GFP) Of the 36 Leopard 2A4NO main battle tanks, only 29 are currently operational (as of January 22). According to the German army's understanding, this would not be enough even for a closed battalion (46 tanks). The question remains whether the Norwegians will throw all their few battle tanks to the northeastern border in the event of an emergency.

The Northern Brigade near Bardufoss is at least the only Norwegian Army brigade. Like from one Army video on YouTube As can be seen, it probably has the majority of main battle tanks and approximately 110 CV 90 infantry fighting vehicles. A brigade usually consists of 4,500 to 5,000 soldiers. In total, the ground forces should include only about 7,800 soldiers. Characteristic: loud Forsafarit websiteas the Norwegian Armed Forces are called in the local language, the army is stationed almost entirely near the Norwegian-Russian border.

Norwegian Army: The Northern Brigade is supposed to secure the border with Russia

The Northern Brigade thus comprises an independent mechanized brigade with 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 an order for 54 new Leopard 2 A8 NOR main battle tanks. However, this equipment is still under construction at the German arms company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann in the Bavarian capital, Munich.