The United States sends nuclear aircraft carrier to mega exercise in Norway

NATO exercise Trident JunctureNATO exercise Trident Juncture.Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB scanpix

The United States has decided to use the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman in NATO’s major exercise Trident Juncture  in Norway.

This is confirmed by American Admiral James G. Foggo, who will head the NATO exercise.

The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman is 333 meters long and has about 60 aircraft and helicopters on board. The hangar will arirve at the exercise with with a fleet group of jet fighters and cruisers and about 6,000 soldiers all in all.

Foggo believes the fleet group will provide important capacity for the exercise.

“It will help us ensure naval and airspace sovereignty , so nobody will be able to penetrate our  patch,” says Foggo to NTB.

The confirmation that the fleet group will be participating means that the extent of military exercise has increased once  again. The total number of soldiers will now be around 50,000. It is the largest military exercise that has been conducted in Norway since the end of the Cold War.

“There will be a solid footprint at sea,” says Chief  Lieutenant Rune Jakobsen, Head of the Armed Forces Operational Headquarters.

“An important task will be to keep the supply lines across the Atlantic open, in addition to securing  the flank of the operation taking place on land,” he says.

 

© NTB scanpix / #Norway Today

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