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Norway Launches F-35s to Intercept Russian Spy Plane Near Its Airspace
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Norway deployed F-35 fighter jets under a Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) mission to intercept a Russian military aircraft approaching its airspace.
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According to Defense Blog on April 19, the Norwegian Air Force launched the aircraft from Evenes Air Station after detecting an unidentified contact. The sortie lasted approximately two hours and resulted in the identification of a Russian Ilyushin Il-38 maritime patrol aircraft.
Norwegian Air Force spokesperson Major Stian Roen confirmed the operation, stating: “F-35s were sent out on a completely normal QRA mission. It is standard procedure that the aircraft take off as quickly as possible in such situations.”
The interception followed standard NATO QRA procedures, which are activated when unknown aircraft approach alliance airspace. During the mission, Norwegian F-35s tracked and identified the Il-38—known by its NATO designation “May”—before returning to base.
The report also noted that a civilian Norwegian airline flight was temporarily placed in a holding pattern during the response to prioritize the military operation.
The Il-38 is a Soviet-era maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft that first entered service in the late 1960s. According to Defense Blog, Russia continues to operate the platform for surveillance missions over the North Atlantic and Arctic regions. A total of 58 aircraft were produced.
According to Defense Blog, Norway maintains continuous readiness at Evenes Air Station, where two F-35A fighters are kept on 24-hour alert and can be airborne within approximately 15 minutes in response to a confirmed threat or unidentified aircraft. The system is designed to detect, identify, and monitor aerial activity near national airspace.
The report adds that Norway has conducted 19 QRA missions so far this year, identifying 28 aircraft. Such interceptions reflect ongoing Russian military aviation activity near NATO’s northern flank, particularly in the High North, where both NATO and Russia maintain a sustained presence.
Earlier, French Rafale fighter jets deployed to Lithuania conducted multiple interceptions of Russian military aircraft near NATO airspace over the Baltic Sea. Rafales were scrambled four times in one week, identifying and escorting six Russian aircraft, including a Su-30SM fighter and an Il-20M intelligence aircraft, as part of NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission.
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