RAF Typhoons join B1 Lancers for exercise above Norwegian Arctic Circle
Royal Air Force Typhoons, currently in Estonia for a Nato Air Policing mission, forward deployed to Norway where they joined B1 Lancers of the USAF Strategic Bomber Task Force above the Arctic Circle for Exercise Tower Guardian.
Alongside Norwegian F-35s, Swedish Gripens, Danish F-16s and Finnish F-18s, they conducted tactical intercepts of the Bomber Task Force over the Norwegian Sea.
The fighters from 1 (F) Squadron were flying from Bardufoss Airbase, which is inside the Arctic Circle, and conducted bombing sorties at the Setermoen Range.
The Agile Combat Employment deployment began with Exercise Tempest Strike which saw the Typhoons fly from Amari Air Base in Estonia to the Norwegian Airbase at Orland.
They were then refuelled and rearmed with Paveway IV precision-guided bombs at a Forward Arming and Refuelling Point – a rapidly deployed staging point that allowed the Typhoons to then push forward towards the northern limits of mainland Europe.
The Typhoons of 1 (F) Sqn were supported by elements from 1 Expeditionary Logistics Squadron, 93 Expeditionary Armaments Squadron, 90 Signals Unit and 15 Sqn RAF Regiment under the overall command of 140 EAW.
The RAF's 140 EAW is currently deployed to Estonia on Operation Azotize as part of Nato's Baltic Air Policing Mission.
Personnel have been undertaking this mission since March and will conduct one further Agile Combat Employment exercise at the end of July when personnel and Typhoons will participate in Exercise Jousten Strike in Finland.
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