norway

Russian Military buildup in the Arctic has US concerned

Russian President Vladimir Putin is beefing up his military forces in the Arctic on a scale that hasn’t been seen since the days of the USSR and the Cold War. He’s reopening closed bases and opening new ones in a bid to control the cold but natural resource-rich region One such base holds the 80th […]

Norway’s “Hunter Troop” All-Women Special Operations Unit Breaking Barriers

Norway is breaking down barriers by creating their own Jegertroppen or “Hunter Troop”, a Special Operations unit comprised completely of women soldiers. Norwegian military leaders saw that the war in Afghanistan showed an operational need for highly-trained female soldiers who could gather intelligence and interact with women and children during deployments in conservative societies. If […]

An American soldier in the Norwegian Winter Warfare course

This is a special guest post from Ken Miller who recently attended the highly regarded Norwegian winter warfare course. -Jack A few months back my Unit began asking for volunteers to attend the Norwegian School of Winter Warfare. With my time being stationed in Italy coming to a close in 10 months, I jumped at the opportunity […]

Amid Trump’s NATO blasts, U.S. Marines’ Norway mission goes on

Nearly 300 U.S. Marines landed in Norway on Monday with a clear assignment from the outgoing Obama administration: Train with allies and help reinforce the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s northernmost border with Russia. But the latest comments from President-elect Donald Trump—who referred to NATO as “obsolete” in a newspaper interview—have left the U.S. military in […]

Hundreds of Marines landing in Norway officially has nothing to do with Russia… unofficially has everything to do with Russia

For the first time since World War II, three hundred U.S. Marines landed in Norway on Monday.  Although these troops arrived just days after more than 3500 American service personnel landed in Poland in support of NATO Operation Atlantic Resolve (bolstering European defenses against a potential Russian attack) both American and Norwegian officials dismissed suggestions […]

US State Department Approves Sale of P-8A Poseidon Patrol Aircraft to Norway

The United States State Department has approved a proposed $1.75 billion dollar deal with the government of Norway to purchase five P-8A Poseidon patrol aircraft. The deal also includes engines, software, radars, missile warning sensors and more. The United States Congress still needs to approve the purchase. WASHINGTON, Dec. 21, 2016 – The State Department […]

Marine retraces his grandfather’s World War II spy mission

Army Maj. William Colby, with the Office of the Strategic Services, parachuted into Norway in March 1945 to lead the Norwegian Special Operations Group. Their job was to prevent 150,000 German troops from returning home to fight the Allies. “At about this time, the Battle of the Bulge had been liquidated, but there was fear […]

This is why Marines just jumped into a frozen lake in Norway

About 170 Marines in Norway just took a bone-chilling plunge into a frozen pond. Earlier this month, the Marines jumped into a hole cut into the ice of a frozen pond and then climbed out, Newport told Marine Corps Times on Friday. Once Marines emerged from the icy water, other members of their team were […]

Marines to begin deploying to Norway

As European allies watch Russian aggression in Europe with concern, the Norwegian government is considering allowing a small contingent of U.S. Marines to be based in the country to facilitate better military cooperation and be at the ready in the event of a crisis, Military.com has learned. The force under consideration is small, about 300 […]

Meet ‘Hunter Troop,’ Norway’s groundbreaking all-woman special forces unit

Norway’s military has been open to women fighting in combat positions for over 30 years. While Special Forces units were also open to female soldiers, none had made entry into that country’s Navy SEAL-like FSK. It wasn’t until Norway was participating in anti-terror actions in predominantly Muslim countries that the nation’s military realized they had […]

NORSOF heading to Middle East

Quite a few years later I would once again encounter NORSOF – this time on my first Afghan tour in 2002-2003. I was once again favorably impressed with their capabilities in conducting strategic reconnaissance (SR) missions in austere environments. At the time NORSOF worked as part of the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force – Afghanistan (CJSOTF-A).

NATO: What is it, Why it Matters, and How the U.S. is Helping Strengthen it

Russia’s actions in Ukraine have led NATO to boost its air policing missions, which allow it to detect, track and take action against those who violate or infringe on the airspace of NATO allies. That includes the Baltic region, where NATO said its F-16 Fighting Falcon jets have intercepted Russian aircraft violating allied airspace several times.