On Wednesday, the largest warship in the world, the USS “Gerald R. Ford”, sailed into the Oslofjord to visit Norway. – It is frightening, says researcher Stein Tønnesson in Prio. The fact that the warship is anchored in the capital makes the Norwegian population feel the danger of a new major war in Europe closer to them, according to Tønnesson. The ship is out on its first operational voyage, and has thus made its first port of call to Norway. The route election has been interpreted as a sign that the US wants to show presence and deterrence in the north. The plan is for the warship to sail along the Norwegian coast. This is according to Jonny Karlsen, spokesperson at the Norwegian Armed Forces’ operational headquarters (FOH). But FOH does not give details about where the USS “Gerald R. Ford” will sail. How far north can the warship sail before Russia sees it as a further provocation? – Reason to be afraid – The closer it gets to the Arctic and the Kola Peninsula, the more Russia will feel threatened. So I hope it stays at a good distance, says Tønnesson According to the historian, the ship will take part in a larger NATO exercise between Scotland and Lofoten. – It is an area that is at a certain distance from Russia. But what the exercise is about is practicing detecting Russian submarines and being able to shoot down incoming Russian missiles, he says and adds: Stein Tønnesson says it matters how far north the ship sails. Photo: Christian Breidlid / news And he believes there is great reason to be afraid in the current situation, because the conflict that Putin started with the invasion of Ukraine last year – could get out of control. It also increases the risk that Russia may resort to extreme measures, according to Tønnesson. – For Norway, it primarily means that the USA gives a very strong signal that the USA stands by Norway and sees Norway as an important strategic country in NATO. No further north than Tromsø – the Russians see it as a provocation that the vessel is in our waters at all. So whether they sail up to Bodø or Tromsø does not have much to say. That’s according to Tor Ivar Strømmen, researcher in sea power theory at the Swedish Naval Academy. But if the ship starts to approach the Barents Sea, it will be extraordinary, he believes. – Then the Russians will see it as an extraordinary provocation, something they will act against beyond the ordinary. Then we will see a great deal of activity by Russian vessels, aircraft, and submarines that are out. Naval captain and researcher at the Norwegian Naval Academy Tor Ivar Strømmen says it is completely natural for the US to send such an aircraft carrier into our country. Photo: Valentina Baisotti / news Although it is up to the Americans how far north they sail, he does not think they will travel further north than Tromsø. – Simply to avoid getting into an unfortunate situation where things can get out of control, says Strømmen. Think it operates outside Nordland Per Erik Solli is a defense analyst at NUPI, and says that he does not foresee the aircraft carrier anchoring anywhere outside of Oslo. He speculates that they will sail north, but that it will be for one reason: To take part in the Arctic Challenge Exercise together with Scandinavian countries. – It depends on what the purpose of the operation is when they sail north. Barents’ observer speculates that they will take part in the big combat flight exercise that starts on 29 May in Norway, Sweden and Finland, and that makes sense. If that’s the plan, they won’t anchor anywhere else. In that case, they will be in constant motion outside the Norwegian coast, says Solli. Defense analyst at NUPI, Per Erik Solli. Photo: Onar Digernes Aase – That they will come to a port visit to Northern Norway is completely unrealistic. If they are going to use the plane for practice, they will be in motion all the time. They will probably then sail in the waters outside Nordland, such as outside Helgeland and Lofoten. He also does not think that they will sail further north than Tromsø, but sees no reason to do so either. – For many decades, the Russians have protested the allied presence. It has never had any consequences, and it won’t this time either. If the USA and NATO want to send a signal to Russia, it is far more effective to participate in this exercise. – The number of military exercises in the north increased But the Russians will probably not be surprised if the ship sails north, according to High North News editor Arne O. Holm. – During the last year and a half, the number of military exercises in the north has been at an extremely high level. The Russians are now carrying out a military exercise. The West, NATO and the USA have continuous military exercises. This is just another ship in the war fleet that is being mobilized in the north, says Holm. Here the warship is anchored in the Oslofjord. It is precisely the relationship with Russia that causes Gerald R. Ford to be anchored in the Oslo Fjord and come to sail north, says Holm. – Russia sees Norway as an American regime when it comes to defense already, so it probably doesn’t change very much how they see Norway, NATO or the USA. Part of the difference between Norway’s relationship with Russia, and the USA’s relationship with Russia, is that Norway has always pursued a policy that is a combination of intimidating and contributing to calm. From the American side, deterrence is absolutely the most important thing, so when this ship sails north, it’s about scaring, says Holm. – On the one hand, the USA is our foremost ally, both in war and peace, but they have a different approach to Russia than Norway has. It is a balancing act for Norway to receive that type of ship and let it sail north. Therefore, I am quite sure that it does not sail into the northernmost part of the Barents Sea. Editor in High North News, Arne O. Holm says that for the past year and a half the speech at military exercises in the North has been at a high level. Photo: Bernt Olsen / news – Nothing extraordinary The last time an aircraft carrier of that size was in Norway was when the ship Harry S. Truman was here during the NATO exercise Trident Juncture in 2018. Before that, we have to go back to the Cold War and the beginning of The 80s. At most there were two or three such ships here at the same time, according to Strømmen at the Naval School. – The whole purpose was simply to show that the Americans could come in from a distance so that they could bomb Russia, or the Soviet Union at that time, and the Russian bases on the Kola Peninsula are sound and together, he says. The 333 meter long and 78 meter high warship sailed into the Oslofjord at 6 o’clock on Wednesday morning. Photo: Terje Pedersen / NTB Therefore, he too is clear that this visit is nothing extraordinary. – It is a completely normal action for a major power to do in such a situation as we are in now. It is to mark boundaries, be sure that deterrence comes through with a clear signal and show allies that they can be trusted. Russia’s embassy in Oslo calls the visit a demonstration of power. – Considering that it is admitted in Oslo that Russia poses no direct military threat to Norway, such demonstrations of power look illogical and harmful, writes Timur Chekanov at the Russian embassy in an e-mail to NTB. It is true that the American aircraft carrier has never been closer to the Russian border in the north than it is now. Nevertheless, the leadership of the USS Gerald R. Ford will not respond to the criticism from its Russian counterpart, but says that the visit is not extraordinary. – This was a planned deployment and a planned work visit, says ship commander and rear admiral Erik Eslich.
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The USS “Gerald R. Ford” will sail along the Norwegian coast, but is unlikely to come north of Tromsø – news Nordland
