The U.S. Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class destroyer “USS Farragut”, the Russsian Northern Fleet’s destroyer “Admiral Chabaneko” and the Norwegian coast guard vessel “KV Andenes” are planned to leave the north Norwegian town of Bodø on Tuesday and sail northwards along the coast of Norway. The vessels are planned to reach the Northern Fleet’s main base of Severomorsk on August 25.
The drills will focus on anti-terror and anti-piracy operations, coordinated maneuvering, joint air defense drills, communications and search and rescue operations.
“Northern Eagle” was held for the first time in 2004, then as a bilateral naval exercise with participation from the U.S. and Russia. The exercise is normally held every second year. Norway was invited to participate in 2008, and since there was no exercise in 2010, this is the second exercise with Norwegian contribution.
It has earlier been informed that the exercises also will include use of Russian Su-33 jet fighters and Ka-27 helicopters, American Sea Hawk helicopters, as well as Norwegian F-16 jet fighters and Orion surveillance planes.
Photos from “POMOR-2012”:
