Several reliable sources in the Norwegian Defense Forces inform news. The aircraft carrier USS “Gerald R. Ford” docked in Norway this week to great fanfare and media coverage of beer-thirsty American soldiers on shore leave. That the ship is here is called a strong signal to Russia and deterrence. Russia calls it an illogical and harmful show of force. Facts about the world’s largest warship, the USS Gerald R. Ford On Wednesday, the world’s largest warship, the USS Gerald R. Ford, arrived in Oslo. These are some facts about the ship. The USS Gerald R. Ford is the largest warship ever built. The construction of the new ship started already in 2009, and in 2013 it was christened. The ship is on its first operational voyage ever, and Oslo was the first port to be visited. The ship is 333 meters long. The width is 41 meters at the waterline, while the flight deck is 78 meters wide. The top speed of the ship is over 30 knots. The four bronze propellers weigh 30 tonnes each and are 6.4 meters in diameter. On board is a crew of 4,500, and there is room for around 90 planes and helicopters. The price was 13.3 billion dollars – at today’s exchange rate around 145 billion kroner. The ship is powered by two nuclear reactors. In order to check that no radioactive water is released while the aircraft carrier is in Oslo, samples must be analyzed before, during and after the call. (NTB) * The ship has 11 gun hoists that can transport 11 tonnes at a time. * A waste incineration plant burns an average of between 1.1 and 1.4 tonnes of waste per day. In this way, 100 kilograms of rubbish is reduced to one kilogram of ash * The crew also has access to, among other things, a hairdresser, dental clinic, several shops, a coffee bar and a fully equipped infirmary. On Monday, however, the giant ship is scheduled to leave Oslo. Then the Americans set course for Northern Norway and Vesterålen. FLIGHT ON DECK: USS “Gerald R. Ford” on its way into the Oslofjord, here at Drøbak and Oscarsborg on Wednesday morning. The high island behind. The ship is the world’s largest warship and will be in port in Oslo for four days. Photo: Terje Pedersen / NTB The Norwegian Defense Forces confirms that the aircraft carrier will go north along the Norwegian coast, but has not publicly stated where it will go or what it will do. But after that news learns that the ship is going to Vesterålen and will participate in the Arctic Challenge Exercise (ACE). All defense branches must practice Chief of Defense Eirik Kristoffersen is in Narvik, where he has meetings with ambassadors from several NATO countries. Here he informs news that it is the Americans themselves who decide where the ship will sail. – The plan of the Americans governs the Americans. Our plans with them are to train a lot with the aircraft carrier’s defense group. And both the army, air force and navy and the special forces have planned to train a lot with them, he says. In a meeting with the Norwegian defense chief in Narvik, US ambassador Marc Nathanson tells those present that the US has great faith in Norway’s defense capabilities. US ambassador to Norway Marc Nathanson on the aircraft carrier Gerald Ford on 23 May. Photo: Christian Breidlid / news – We have great faith in the Norwegian military and the Norwegian leadership. We support recommendations and advice coming from the Norwegian military leadership. The fact that we support Norway is precisely one of the reasons why we brought the largest warship we have here, says Nathanson. FLIGHT EXERCISE: The world’s largest warship will practice with Norwegian fighter planes off Andøya. Here, the American B-52 and two Swedish JAS Gripen and two Norwegian F-35 fighter jets west of Andøya are taken during an exercise in 2022. Photo: Forsvaret – We want to have as much activity as possible with the American ship, so both the air forces associated with exercise ACE , own air forces and other defense branches will be involved in the activities that occur as a result of the ship being here, adds Kristoffersen. Europe’s largest air exercise Arctic Challenge Exercise is the largest air exercise planned in Europe this year. The exercise is a Nordic collaboration between Norway, Sweden and Finland, but has participation from several countries in Europe. It is not a NATO exercise, but still has participation from NATO and 13 other countries. During the exercise, the Norwegian Armed Forces will operate from four bases, Ørland in Norway, Kallax in Sweden and Rovaniemi and Pirkkala in Finland. And now also the American aircraft carrier. Concern Concern has been expressed from several quarters that the world’s largest warship will provoke Russia if it goes too far north. Researcher Stein Tønnesson in Prio stated on Thursday that there is reason to be afraid. – The closer the ship gets to the Arctic and the Kola Peninsula, the more Russia will feel threatened. So I hope it stays at a good distance, said Tønnesson. Tor Ivar Strømmen, who is a researcher in sea power theory at the Norwegian Naval Academy, says that the Russians see it as a provocation that the ship is in Norwegian waters at all. ON THE WAY: The American aircraft carrier USS “Gerald R. Ford” on its way into the Oslofjord on Monday. The ship is the world’s largest warship and will lie in the fjord for four days. Photo: Police helicopter Chief of Defense Eirik Kristoffersen reassures the critics. He tells news that it is not natural for the ship to go further north than they usually do during such exercises. – It is not an issue that the ship should go as far north as the Barents Sea. It is not planned further north than they usually do, and it is rare that they go further north than Andøya. Presence and deterrence The ship is out on its first operational voyage, and has thus made its first port of call to Norway. The choice of route has been interpreted as a sign that the US wants to show presence and deterrence in the north. On Thursday, the ambassadors from the USA, Great Britain, Poland and Germany visited Narvik together with Chief of Defense Kristoffersen. The American ambassador then stated to those present that the United States wants to show its allies that it stands together by taking the ship to Norway. According to news’s sources, these are the preliminary plans, but there is uncertainty about the timings.
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Here, the American aircraft carrier will practice with Norwegian fighters – news Nordland
