For the second time in 17 months, a huge US aircraft carrier sailed up the Oslo fjord on Friday, accompanied by two Norwegian port pilots, frigates, support vessels and helicopters. It’s another sign of tense times, and military officials wouldn’t say how long the USS Harry S Truman would remain in the Norwegian capital.
It’s one of the world’s largest ships, and follows last year’s visit by the USS Gerald R Ford. The 300-meter-long aircraft carrier was led by the Norwegian frigate Thor Heyerdahl and accompanied by another Italian frigate, the Carabiniere, along with various support vessels and helicopters. On board were several thousand American military personnel, a large fleet of fighter jets and more helicopters.
The convoy has been training with Norwegian and other NATO forces in the North Sea for the past few weeks, and was mounting another show of force with its visit to Oslo. The need for heightened security since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 continues, with Norwegian Vice-Admiral Rune Andersen claiming that “the visit shows how NATO is ready to defend itself, and that we’re standing well together.”
Vice-Admiral Andersen also noted that the US aircraft carrier’s visit “shows how important stability and security in Europe’s northern areas are for the USA.” Norwegians who earlier have objected mightily to the presence of nuclear-powered military vessels in Norwegian waters have had to accept them.
“We need to get used to higher military activity almost continually,” Andersen said. “At times it can be extremely visible, like when an aircraft carrier comes in to Oslo.” The current visit is also meant, according to Norwegian defense forces, to “send a clear signal to Russia that NATO stands together and is always ready to react if our security is threatened.”
The NATO forces have also been working closely with the Norwegian coast guard and various agencies tied to aviation, domestic security and preparedness, local police and, not least, Norway’s directorate for nuclear safety. The latter will be monitoring radiation levels around the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier through the duration of its stay.
Russia has also been training and making its presence known, especially in the Barents Sea off Northern Norway. The area is of strategic importance to both Russia and NATO, and Norway has long been NATO’s “eyes and ears” in the Arctic.
Norway’s defense relies heavily on cooperation with and receipt of NATO allies, now set to defend all all of the Nordic area after both Sweden and Finland joined NATO. Norway, Sweden and Finland are working on new transport corridors from Norway’s northen coast in the west to Sweden and Finland in the east, along with naval forces in the Baltic.
Oslo police, meanwhile, were prepared for shore leave this weekend for hundreds if not thousands of the American sailors on board the Truman. There reportedly are between 4,500 and 5,200 people on board the aircraft carrier at any given time, along with 90 fighter jets and helicopters.
NewsinEnglish.no/Nina Berglund
