Key Takeaways
- Norwegian F-35s scrambled to identify Russian Il-20M aircraft.
- Russian missions likely intended to gather situational awareness on allied activity.
- Cold Response 2026 exercise runs from March 9 to March 19, 2026.
Norwegian F-35 Fighter Jets Scrambled to Identify Russian Aircraft
NATO's Cold Response 2026 Exercise Gets Underway in High North
Norwegian F-35 fighter jets were scrambled twice in two days to identify Russian Il-20M reconnaissance aircraft flying in international airspace off Finnmark. The missions followed a similar pattern, with the aircraft being detected by Norwegian sensors and shadowed by F-35s before returning to the Kola Peninsula. According to AeroTime, the Russian missions were likely intended to gather situational awareness on allied activity linked to NATO’s Cold Response 2026 exercise. Breaking Defense reports that Norway has been conducting around 40 Quick Reaction Alert missions each year, with its F-35s taking over from F-16s in January 2022.
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