– Several exercises are planned with, among others, the Army, the Navy, the Air Force and the Defense’s special forces. Acting communications manager, Thomas Gjesdal, said in the Norwegian Armed Forces’ operational headquarters (FOH) on Saturday. – For security reasons, we cannot comment on where the vessel is at any given time, or where it plans to sail. Acting head of communications in the Norwegian Armed Forces’ operational headquarters (FOH), Thomas Gjesdal. Photo: Kåre Riibe Ramskjell/news On Friday, the aircraft carrier was placed under Nato command, according to a press release from the defense alliance. – As a continued sign of transatlantic unity, the USS Gerald R. Ford was placed under NATO command today while preparations are being made for activity in the Norwegian Sea together with other maritime forces from allied nations. American flight activity over the Vestfjord The 333-metre-long aircraft carrier cannot be found on the AIS systems that keep track of traffic at sea. But according to Flightradar, which monitors air traffic, there has been activity in the Vestfjord with at least one military aircraft and one helicopter, both of which belong to the US Navy. A Gruman C-2A Greyhound took off from the middle of Vestfjorden on Saturday, before heading south towards Gardermoen and further south on the continent. A military helicopter of the type Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk belonging to the US Navy took off from the middle of the Vestfjord on Saturday, before flying back and forth over the sea. From Friday, it is prohibited to fly in parts of the Vestfjorden in connection with allied military activity. In an SMS to news, Director of Communications at the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority, Håvard Sverre Vikheim, writes that the ban has been introduced according to their needs and refers to their own website. The aircraft carrier was replenished by the supply ship USNS Joshua Humphreys along the Norwegian coast. Photo: Petty Officer 2nd Class Jacob Mattingly / US Navy Supplies are transported from a supply ship and on board the aircraft carrier by helicopter. Here is an MH-60S Knighthawk helicopter supplies from the USNS Medgar Evers. Photo: Petty Officer 2nd Class Jackson Adkins / US Navy It takes some supplies when over 2,600 people on board need everything from food, drink and other products on board the world’s largest aircraft carrier. A helicopter with supplies lands here on Friday 2 June. Photo: specialist 2nd Class Nolan Pennington / US Navy “Arctic Challenge Exercise” The Nordic air exercise “Arctic Challenge Exercise” started on Monday 29 May, and will continue until 9 June. Gjesdal in FOH, says it is common with the restricted area in connection with military exercises. – There is a large “Arctic Challenge Exercise” underway in the area, so you will probably see more restricted areas in the time we are in now. In this area, there is a flight ban from 2 June to 8 June. Photo: Aviation Authority There has been speculation as to whether the American aircraft carrier will take part in the exercise, but this has not yet been confirmed, either by the Norwegian Armed Forces’ operational headquarters (FOH) or the Norwegian Air Force, which is responsible for the exercise in Norway. On Friday, the newspaper Bodø Nu reported that a Widerøe flight from Bodø to Røst had to take a detour around the restricted areas in the airspace over the Vestfjorden. Visited the aircraft carrier in Oslo Storting representative for the Conservative Party, Bård Ludvig Thorheim, is a veteran of the Norwegian Armed Forces and a trained intelligence officer. He has also chaired the Norwegian-American friendship association at the Stortinget. Last week he was invited on board the aircraft carrier when it was docked in the Oslo Fjord. – It was a powerful spectacle. We walked alongside the ship and I never thought it would end, he says to news on Saturday. Thorheim was impressed by the aircraft carrier when he was invited on board last week. The Americans also indulged in American beer on the occasion. Photo: Private He says it is expected that they make themselves known in the area outside Bodø and Lofoten/Vesterålen. – They have been observed today somewhere outside Helligvær and Bodø. – We have a long tradition of this type of American capabilities practicing together with Norwegian forces in an area that is so important for security policy, he adds. – How closely do you think Russia is following what is happening in northern Norway now? – They follow along very well. But it is kind of beside the point that they should follow along. Because what we are demonstrating here is that we have the will and ability to defend ourselves in strategically important areas in the north. Measuring radioactivity in the air That “USS Gerald R. Ford” has been on its way to Nordland this week has been a poorly kept secret. Among other things, the Directorate for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety (DSA) has prepared for the visit. Senior engineer Bredo Møller confirms this to news. On Thursday, he installed two mobile measuring stations to measure radioactivity in connection with an exercise in which the American aircraft carrier will take part. Møller does not want to state exactly where the measuring stations are set up or where the aircraft carrier is headed, but says that they are located in Nordland. However, local acquaintances will quickly recognize Tranøy lighthouse in Hamarøy, which is also located in the Vestfjorden. The Directorate for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety (DSA) has set up two measuring stations. One of them is at Tranøy lighthouse on the Vestfjord DSA is not involved in the exercise with the aircraft carrier, but monitors if there are any emissions in connection with the exercise. As the “USS Gerald R. Ford” is a reactor-powered vessel, there is always a certain chance of radioactive release. – We measure radioactivity in the air, if there should be a release we have the opportunity to capture it here, says Møller and emphasizes that there is very little probability of that happening. DSA already has fixed measurement stations at, among other places, Bodø and Svolvær, but deploys additional ones when there are calls for reactor-powered vessels. – There is intensified air surveillance equipment that we have set up in connection with the aircraft carrier that will take part in an exercise in Nordland, says senior engineer Bredo Møller in DSA. Photo: Privat According to Møller, there has not been this type of discharge in our waters and there have been no accidents with this type of Western vessel in the past. If the measurements, contrary to presumption, should pick up something, it will give an automatic alarm to your watch staff – We have also taken some water samples to have a zero value starting point so that we know what the normal situation is before the ship arrives. He adds: – We have been a bit careful about saying where they are, as we don’t want anything to happen to them. They are located in Nordland. Here the measuring equipment is fully assembled. Similar measuring stations were also set up in the Oslofjord when the ship was there. Photo: Directorate for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Withholding information Because even though it is known that the “USS Gerald R. Ford” will sail north along the Norwegian coast, the defense has been reticent about information about where and when the ship will sail. According to Gjesdal, they normally do not comment on other states’ military activity. – Gerald Ford is in the Norwegian vicinity to train with Norwegian military forces. It shows, among other things, close allied unity and our good and close relationship with the United States. – When it comes to where they intend to sail today, they have to say it themselves. However, he adds that it is natural that the Americans practice all domains when they are first in Norway. Both on land, in the air and at sea.
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“USS Gerald R. Ford” has arrived in Northern Norway and the Vestfjord – news Nordland
