Updated 'Bear' Provides First Intercept for the F-35
A long-distance flight by two Russian Navy “Bears” was intercepted and escorted by Norwegian and UK fighters, including F-35s for the first time.
A still from a video taken from onboard a Tu-142 shows an armed Norwegian F-35A escorting the “Bear.” (Photo: Russian MoD)
A still from a video taken from onboard a Tu-142 shows an armed Norwegian F-35A escorting the “Bear.” (Photo: Russian MoD)

On March 7 a pair of Tupolev Tu-142 “Bears” set out on a training mission into the North Atlantic. Lockheed Martin F-35As of the Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF, Luftforsvaret) were involved in the NATO shadowing activities, believed to be the first time that the Lightning II has undertaken such operations.

While this made the event noteworthy at a time when Russian long-range aircraft are increasingly being intercepted by NATO fighters, the operation also provided the shadowing aircraft with a close-up view of the rare Tu-142MRM, the latest version of the “Bear-J” submarine communications aircraft.

Loading…