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 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 US is, together with Finland, Sweden’s most important cooperation partner, says Deputy Air Force Chief Tommy Petersson, who received the plan.
“Next step”
— We are now taking the next step in developing that collaboration.
Sweden has repeatedly practiced with the American strategic bombers for several years. According to Petersson, the exercise that began on Monday had been planned for a long time and was preceded by great secrecy.
The US Air Force’s Rockwell B-1B Lancer is a four-engine American long-range aircraft that can carry both conventional bombs and ground-targeting robots. It is designed for supersonic speed and has a range of up to 12,000 kilometers and has deployable wings.
It is Sweden that has invited to the exercise which, according to Petersson, has been planned for a long time and started on Monday.
— We are doing this in Norrbotten, from Luleå, in a strategically important area for Sweden. We do it from a flotilla, F 21, which has good experience in receiving and providing support to other nations.
Enhanced ability
According to the air force commander, the purpose is to practice the defense of Sweden, on and over Swedish territory. The two bombers were accompanied by about 50 soldiers from the US Air Force.
On Monday, he did not want to comment on how long the exercise will last.
— The exercise shows that Sweden and the United States have close military cooperation and are capable of working together in our part of Europe. It strengthens our military ability to meet an armed attack.