F-35 jets shadow Russian aircraft watching NATO exercise
The Norwegian Armed Forces have confirmed that two Norwegian F-35 fighter jets took off from Evenes Air Base this morning to identify and shadow two Russian Tu-142 ‘BEAR-F’ maritime patrol aircraft flying in international airspace near Troms.
According to the Norwegian Armed Forces, the Russian aircraft were operating near the area where Exercise #JointViking25 is taking place, a major military exercise involving Norwegian and NATO forces.
The Norwegian Armed Forces described the interception as routine, stating: “Such flights are considered routine.”
The F-35s were scrambled to monitor the Russian aircraft as part of Norway’s Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) mission, which ensures continuous air policing of NATO’s northern flank.
The Tu-142 ‘BEAR-F’ is a long-range maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft derived from the Soviet-era Tu-95 strategic bomber. First entering service in the 1970s, the aircraft remains a key part of Russia’s naval aviation, used primarily for tracking NATO submarines, gathering intelligence, and conducting long-range patrols over the Arctic, North Atlantic, and Pacific Oceans.
Despite its age, the Tu-142 has been regularly modernised, with upgraded avionics and weapons systems allowing it to remain operational in Russia’s Northern Fleet.
Operating at high altitudes and with a range exceeding 12,000 kilometres, the Tu-142 can conduct extended-duration missions, often accompanied by mid-air refuelling support. Its frequent presence near NATO airspace reflects Russia’s continued efforts to monitor allied naval movements and assert its strategic reach over the High North.
