The US Navy’s nuclear-power submarine USS New Mexico tied up at a civilian harbour just outside Tromsø in Northern Norway on Monday, to a warm welcome from Norwegian defense forces and protests by angry local residents. The latter fear such sub berthings will make their home a target in the event of war, and that […]
Objections explode over US presence
May 7, 2021
A steady rise in the presence of US troops and military equipment on Norwegian soil looks set to reach a new high, setting off a torrent of objections and angry commentary in both local and national media. Critics claim the Norwegian government, by offering the Americans unprecedented access and liberties, is violating its own base policy […]
Government halts firm’s sale to Russia
March 23, 2021
After weeks of controversy, the Norwegian government has changed its mind and will, after all, halt the sale of Bergen Engines to TMH International of Russia. The government now apparently agrees that national security interests are at stake, since Bergen Engines has supplied and still services some of the motors on several Norwegian defense vessels […]
Military still fighting war on harassment
March 4, 2021
Norway’s defense establishment has targeted bullying and sexual harassment within the armed forces, and mounted major efforts to shoot down both. A new study released last week, however, shows there’s still a long way to go despite success at recruiting and even showcasing more female officers. When thousands of NATO soldiers arrived in Norway for joint […]
New US bombers sound the alarms
March 1, 2021
NEWS ANALYSIS: It was almost as if air raid alarms suddenly started going off, right after four US bombers landed in Norway for the first time last week. There hadn’t been much warning about the 200 US soldiers who arrived just before the bombers either, and loud political debate over more US military presence on […]
NATO soldier’s death still under probe
February 19, 2021
Autopsy results have determined that a NATO soldier from the Netherlands died from a heart attack. Military police are nonetheless continuing their investigation after the soldier was found dead in his bed in the Dutch barracks at Målselv on February 13. He has been identitied as Ben Kooyman, age 42. His death has shaken fellow […]
Police investigate Dutch soldier’s death
February 15, 2021
UPDATED: Both local and military police have launched investigations after a NATO soldier from the Netherlands was found dead in barracks set up for Dutch soldiers at the Skjold military base in Målselv, Northern Norway. A Norwegian defense department official later called it “an unexpected death of a relatively young man.” The body of the […]
Ill-fated frigate now at the scrapyard
February 11, 2021
Norway’s once-proud frigate, the Helge Ingstad, arrived at its final destination this week. After being towed over the same waters where it collided with a tanker in late 2018 and then sank, the naval vessel that cost NOK 5 billion is ending its days at a scrapyard in Askøy. Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) reported how the […]
US bombers in Norway for first time
February 5, 2021
In what’s being described as a demonstration of power, American B1 bombers will be taking part in exercises in Norway along with 200 US soldiers based at the Ørland air base for the next month. It’s the first time the so-called “heavy bombers” will operate from Norway but opposition Members of Parliament are not impressed. […]
Corona cancels NATO exercise
January 26, 2021
NATO’s large annual winter exercise in Norway called “Joint Viking” was halted on Tuesday, because of what Defense Minister Frank Bakke-Jensen called “a demanding infection situation” in the country. Many thought it never should have begun, since it involved the arrival of 3,000 soldiers from abroad in the midst of a pandemic. Bakke-Jensen, who earlier […]
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