- Category
- Latest news
US Deploys Submarine-Hunting Jets Just Miles From Russia, Marking Bold New Move in Baltic Standoff
- Authors
![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
The United States has stationed P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft in Norway, carrying out operations in the Baltic Sea close to Russian territory, Newsweek reported on September 30.
According to Newsweek, satellite imagery from September 23 suggested that two to three P-8 aircraft were positioned at Oslo’s Gardermoen Airport.
Open-source analyst Osinttechnical stated that flight-tracking data indicated one of these aircraft later conducted a mission near the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, bordered by NATO members Poland and Lithuania.
A spokesperson for Norway’s armed forces confirmed to the newspaper Dagbladet that American aircraft operated from Gardermoen to support “allied activity” in the surrounding region.
The P-8 Poseidon is a US Navy platform designed for anti-submarine, anti-surface, and intelligence missions. Equipped with advanced radar and surveillance systems, the aircraft can detect and track both surface and undersea targets.
Boeing notes that the P-8 is capable of aerial refueling, which allows for extended patrols over wide ocean areas. In addition to the US, European operators include the United Kingdom and Norway.
Kaliningrad is one of Russia’s most heavily militarized areas in Northern Europe and has been a focus of NATO monitoring efforts since Finland and Sweden joined the alliance in 2023. NATO allies have also highlighted recent concerns about threats to undersea infrastructure and drone activity over Poland, Denmark, and Norway.
A joint statement issued at a NATO summit of Baltic Sea allies in January said: “We welcome that NATO has launched the enhanced vigilance activity ‘Baltic Sentry’ to improve situational awareness and deter hostile activities. We welcome the efforts of allies to deploy additional assets at sea, in the air, on land and below the surface of the sea, to enhance vigilance and deterrence.”
Earlier, President Donald Trump announced he had ordered two US nuclear submarines to be deployed near Russia, describing the move as a precaution against what he called “foolish and inflammatory” remarks by Dmitry Medvedev.
