After Russia blew up Nord Stream 2, Norway raised its F-35s to defend gas fields
NATO countries use patrol ships and aircraft to protect their critical infrastructure from raiders
Russian sabotage of the Nord Stream-1 and Nord Stream-2 gas pipelines, which occurred on September 26, 2022, forced NATO countries to more actively use their armed forces to protect their own critical infrastructure.
In particular, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Haar Stere said that Oslo is increasing patrols by aviation and naval forces near gas fields in the North Sea. Denmark, Sweden, France, Great Britain and Germany also promised to help protect the Norwegian fields, which have become a strategic energy resource for the whole of Europe. This is stated in the publication of the Defense Brief portal.
So far, the activation of the forces of NATO countries to protect the energy infrastructure can be called ‘limited’. For example, Norway has officially announced that it has sent additional Navy and Coast Guard ships to the area where the gas rigs are concentrated. In particular, the patrol ship KV Sortand was recorded in an official photo from the Ministry of Defense of Norway. In addition, Norwegian F-35s, which are on operational duty, began to fly more actively in that area.
In turn, Denmark additionally sent its frigate HDMS Absalon and environmental monitoring vessel Gunnar Thorson to the North Sea. Sweden has sent its ships from the Coastal Defense, their number is not specified.
Great Britain, Germany and France have not yet decided in what format they will help Norway protect gas fields from possible sabotage by the Russian Federation.
