Shortly after 4:31 p.m., the silence was broken at Norrbotten’s air fleet in Luleå. Escorted by three Jas 39 Gripens, two American strategic bombers landed for the first time in modern times on Swedish soil.
The model B-1B plane, part of the US’s so-called Bomber Task Force, is in Sweden to train together with the Swedish Air Force and the Swedish Army.
– In these troubled times and while waiting for Swedish NATO membership, it is important to have strong partners and the USA is, together with Finland, Sweden’s most important cooperation partner, says Tommy Petersson, Brigadier General and Deputy Chief of the Air Force, who received the plan.
Great secrecy
Sweden has, for several years, repeatedly colluded with the American bombers. According to Petersson, the exercise that began on Monday had been planned for a long time and was preceded by great secrecy.
A Hercules-type cargo plane with about 50 soldiers, from the US Air Force, also arrived. No word of what would happen was left until the B-1s were on the ground.
It is Sweden that has invited to the exercise, which began earlier on Monday.
– We are doing this in Norrbotten, from Luleå, in a strategically important area for Sweden. We do it from a flotilla, F21, which has good experience in receiving and providing support to other nations.
According to the air force commander, the purpose is to practice the defense of Sweden, on and over Swedish territory. On Monday, he did not want to comment further on how long the exercise will last.
Enhanced ability
Monday’s exercise announcement comes just under a day after the Defense Committee presented its new security policy assessment, which has been named “Critical Time”.
According to the preparation, the risk of an armed attack against Sweden has increased, and Russia is singled out as the biggest and most direct threat.
A larger Swedish army, more conscripts, new submarines and not least a continued strengthening of the air force are highlighted as central to meeting the increased threat.