Norway Scrambles F-16s to Escort Russia's Tu-22M3s Over Barents, Norwegian Seas

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Norway scrambled F-16 fighters to escort Russian long-range bombers Tu-22M3, who made a scheduled flight over the neutral waters of the Barents and Norwegian seas, the Russian Defence Ministry said on Tuesday.

"Two long-range Tu-22M3 bombers of the Aerospace Forces completed a planned flight over the neutral waters of the Barents and Norwegian seas. The flight duration was more than four hours. At some stages of the route, Russian planes were escorted by the Norwegian F-16 fighters," the ministry said.

It noted that long-range flights are conducted regularly over the waters of the Arctic, North Atlantic, Black and Baltic seas, and the Pacific Ocean. All flights of the Russian Aerospace Forces aircraft are carried out "in strict accordance with the Common Rules for the Flexible Use of Airspace", the ministry said.