The Norwegian surveillance aircraft Orion has demonstrated difficulty in discovering Russia’s newest submarines. This week there was a visit by newer American aircraft at Andøya.
Twice this week, a Poseidon patrol aircraft from the United States landed at Andøya Air Station, where it refuelled and flew on for a brief visit.
The Defense Department says that Americans are in the area to practice, but sources at Klassekampen newspaper have connected the visit to Norway’s Orion aircraft’s struggle to detect Russian submarines.
A defense source points to the sensors on the Norwegian planes, but also the number of available aircraft and the staffing and preparedness on Andøya.
Last weekend, an Orion aircraft searched for five hours after a submarine observation was reported in Vestfjord. The search was fruitless.
Spokesperson Brynjar Stordal at Joint Headquarters (FOH) said that ‘with the help of the sensors Orion aircraft has, we were not able to detect anything.’
The Defense Department denies that there is any connection between this fact, and the USA’s visit a few days later.
In defense proceedings in Parliament presently are the Conservative Party, Progress Party and the Labor Party, who maintain that the Norwegian Orion aircraft should be replaced with Poseidon aircraft.
Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today
