US P-8 Poseidon aircraft spotted near Russian border in Baltic Sea
US P-8 Poseidon military aircraft (Illustrative photo: Getty Images)
US P-8 Poseidon aircraft were spotted on satellite images near the Russian border in the Baltic Sea. The planes are capable of hunting submarines and conducting reconnaissance, according to Newsweek.
According to Newsweek, the US Navy operates the P-8 Poseidon patrol aircraft, designed for anti-submarine warfare, engaging surface targets, and conducting reconnaissance missions.
Its presence in Northern Europe is linked to NATO's strengthened defensive posture in the Baltic region amid Russian threats to undersea cables and pipelines, as well as suspicious drone activity in Poland, Denmark, and Norway.
As part of NATO support, the US had already deployed military forces near Russia's Arctic region in August.
Analyst Osinttechnical reported that satellite images taken on September 23 showed two to three P-8 aircraft at the military terminal of Gardermoen Airport in Oslo.
One of them, according to flight tracking data, headed toward the Baltic Sea near Kaliningrad — a key Russian military stronghold.
US military aircraft spotted in satellite images (photo: screenshot from Flightradar24)
Norwegian armed forces confirmed to the local newspaper Dagbladet that several US P-8 aircraft operated from Gardermoen Airport to support "allied activity" near Norway.
In July, one such aircraft, based at Keflavik Air Base in Iceland, participated in NATO's Baltic Sentry exercises, which aimed to enhance readiness to respond to destabilizing actions.
It is unclear whether the Pentagon will deploy additional units and equipment to Europe to bolster the Baltic Sentry mission and safeguard its allies in the region.
Air provocations in Europe
As reported, an unidentified drone was detected flying over the Equinor gas field in the North Sea, off the coast of Norway.
In recent weeks, several incidents have occurred in which drones have violated the airspace of Denmark, Poland, and Romania. Russian fighter jets have also breached Estonia's airspace.
NATO is still determining whether Russia deliberately targeted the airspace of Estonia and Poland, according to statements by the Alliance's Secretary General Mark Rutte.
Russia has denied the accusations of airspace violations in a cynical manner. The Kremlin claimed there were allegedly no breaches and that Russian military aircraft fly "strictly within international rules."
