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Originally Posted by headquarters
We get them on an irregular basis up here too.
Especially whenever there are business talks or a litt fuzz on a diplomatic level when Oslo ( our capitol city ) states something negative on the ongoing Russian security ops in the Caucasus or their policies otherwise .Normally a single 4 engine comes in for a trip along the exact limit of our airspace and skirts for a little while .We dispatch F16s to intercept and shadow them .They stay about 300-1000 feet apart for a few minutes and then the Ruskies brake off and head out to sea and home .They do it to test response times,gage our reactions and to let us know that the Bear is still out there -only its slow due to a prolonged hibernation.
But sometimes they escalate ,one incident had the propellor blade from a TU aircraft litterally hit the wing of our fighter and lodge in the F16 fuselage like shrapnel .( They came that close but our guy didnt veer and let the violate our airspace ) .
Also a few times they have conducted "joint naval/airforce exercises" in our region and simulated "bombing runs" which basically means posturing for a ( nuclear) missile launch on one of our northern cities and then at the last possible minute breaking off before entering our airspace .
That said - in the last 12 years relations have improved immensly .There is business cooperation,diplomatic forums and even joint military exercises now.Heck ,in 98 we even had a Russian platoon seconded to our battallion in Bosnia for a few weeks.It was the first time the Norwegian military had had leadership over Russian troops since the Viking ages.
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Back in 1986 I was visiting relatives in Stockholm and we took a day trip out to the island of Gotland. Shortly after we landed and while we were taxiing to the terminal we were suddenly told to stop our plane. My cousin (who was piloting the plane) did just that. He then pointed to where a couple of military jets were taxiing to the runway and then taking off. As they were taking off two small black dots streaked by off in the distance.
The way my cousin explained it to me was that there was an on-going dispute between Sweden and the Soviet Union on where exactly Swedish territorial waters/airspace ended and international began. If I remember correctly the Soviets said it was measured off of the mainland and the Swedes said it was also measured off of the island of Gotland. So, every once in a while the Soviets would send up some planes and test the response time of the Swedes.
The best part was when we were told to stop one of the jets taxied near us and the pilot glanced over and then did a double take. I was in the co-pilot seat, wearing an old World War II era leather flying helmet, goggles, and wearing a kamikaze bandanna across my forhead!