...
By Robert Birsel and John Feng
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
NATO aircraft have spent the better part of a week searching for Russian submarines that could approach a U.S. aircraft carrier group operating off the coast of Norway, according to flight- and ship-tracking data reviewed by Newsweek.
The persistent presence in the Norwegian Sea of P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol planes, or "submarine hunters," has been led by the United States since Sunday and is supported by Britain and Norway, which also operate the anti-submarine warfare platforms built by Boeing.
The U.S. Defense Department and NATO did not immediately respond to separate written requests for comment on the military maneuvers.
Read More on World
Why It Matters
Sea patrol sorties around NATO's maritime borders are a daily occurrence, but recent U.S. Navy and British air force flights to the High North have seen an uptick in intensity—over two dozen flights since the weekend.
What To Know
The daily operations appear to be linked to the presence of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, the world's biggest aircraft carrier, which is involved in operations with British and Norwegian units in waters west of Norway.
"Working together to ensure a secure and stable Euro-Atlantic region," the U.S. carrier group said in a post on Facebook.
The carrier group did not mention anti-submarine sweeps for any specific vessels.
The sweeps, detectable on plane and ship broadcasts captured by MarineTraffic, Flightradar24, and similar platforms, could be precautionary but may point to an expected appearance of Russian submarines.
...
Britain's Express newspaper reported that at least a dozen specialist NATO warplanes have been searching for a Russian submarine suspected of sailing near the U.S. Navy carrier since Sunday.
The newspaper stated that the British Ministry of Defence had confirmed that the Royal Air Force sorties were not an exercise. Newsweek was unable to contact the ministry for comment outside office hours.
Norway's The Barents Observer newspaper said on Wednesday that three Yasen-class nuclear-powered boats of Russia's Northern Fleet—headquartered in Severomorsk on the Kola Peninsula, just across the way from Norway—had left their bases as of earlier this week.
It cited its analysis of publicly available satellite imagery.
"Satellite images studied by the Barents Observer show that as of August 25, all three multi-purpose submarines of the Yasen- and Yasen-M class belonging to the Russian Northern Fleet are out at sea," the newspaper said.
"The Severodvinsk (K-573), the Kazan (K-561) and the Arkhangelsk (K-564) all have Nerpicha as their home base. The base is located in the Litsa fjord some 60 kilometres (37 miles) from Russia's border with Norway and there are no submarines present at the piers," it said.
Cloud cover after August 25 made it impossible to study satellite images of the area, it said.
None of the NATO countries around the North Sea has commented on the suspected hunt for a Russian submarine.
What People Are Saying
Tom Sharpe, a former Royal Navy commander, told Britain's Sun newspaper: "It looks like they have found a Russian submarine and they are hammering it...It is telling Russia: 'We see you.'"
What Happens Next
There has been no indication that the operation by the U.S. Navy and its allies in the waters off Norway's west coast is over.
Update 8/27/2025 10:42 a.m. ET: This story has been updated to include more information.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines