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NATO / Western countries doing exercises outside Oman Bay, Indian Ocean & Red sea from 2020 to next 5 years, preparing for war in Middle East, area

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Source in norwegian language: https://www.nrk.no/urix/vurderer-norsk-krigsskip-til-midtosten-1.15220957


NATO / Western countries doing exercises outside Oman Bay, Indian Ocean & Red sea from 2020 to next 5 years, preparing for war in Middle East area. Oman Bay means outside Gwadar and Chabar also.., Intresting reading
There are some problem with PDF forum , therefore i cant upload any Internet website links or photoes in the article, strange. Therefore user must thereself open the link in norwegian aboveand translate it and from there open the other links.



Assessing Norwegian warships to the Middle East
The government is considering sending a frigate to the Middle East. Together with American warships, the Norwegian vessel will have exercises in disputed sea areas outside Iran.




The information is confirmed by Minister of Defense Frank Bakke-Jensen (H). Norway is considering participating with one frigate. The fleet in question is led by the United States. The vessels shall carry out training operations. It happens as part of the Cooperative Deployment exercise . The training will be held in different sea areas.

In the preliminary sailing plan, the fleet group will stay in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Oman and the Indian Ocean, among other places.

The exercises will take place in 2021 and 2022.

- Incomprehensible assessment
Red leader Bjørnar Moxnes reacts to what is happening. Earlier this week, he received confirmation of the preparatory work being done in the Ministry of Defense. He is furious at the assessments.


Red leader Bjørnar Moxnes during an oral question time in the Storting.

PHOTO: HÅKON MOSVOLD LARSEN / NTB
- It is incomprehensible if the Navy is to contribute to war incitement on the Strait of Hormuz. Norwegian naval vessels will defend Norway's coast. They will not fight with the United States in tropical waters, says Moxnes.

He claims that Minister of Defense Bakke-Jensen stated in January that it was not relevant to send vessels to the Middle East.

- It was said that Norwegian ships were not going to the American fleet in the Persian Gulf. What has changed, Moxnes asks.

Red demands that Norway does not send vessels to the sea areas in the Middle East to participate in US-led operations.

- Hormuz Strait is a very inflamed area. The United States and Iran almost started a war there last year, says Moxnes.

The Red leader believes the assessments must be seen in a larger context. Norway has entered into a military cooperation agreement with Jordan.

Over the next five years, Norwegian special forces will train in war and military operations in desert areas. They are thus being prepared for missions in the Middle East. Moxnes believes this is an unfortunate development.

He believes the government is making plans for war participation in the Middle East.

- This is a misuse of scarce defense resources. This is in direct conflict with Norwegian security interests. By sending soldiers and vessels to the Middle East, we are increasing the tension in the area. We have nothing to do there, says Moxnes.


Soldiers from the Armed Forces Special Command in a desert area in Jordan. The Norwegian soldiers have established their headquarters at an air base outside Amman.

PHOTO: EIRIK VEUM / NRK
Vessels are «tropicalised»
Several of the Navy's vessels have already been prepared for operations in warm areas. According to Rødt, Norway spent NOK 91 million last year on preparations for assignments in "tropical waters".

This means that, among other things, indoor air conditioning has been installed. There are also cooling water systems for other sea temperatures than what is usual in Norwegian waters.

The frigate KNM Fridtjof Nansen is already equipped for service in tropical areas. KNM Roald Amundsen will receive similar equipment.

Ever since 1990, parts of the Norwegian navy have at all times been what is called "tropicalised". It is unclear whether this has increased in scope.

At the Armed Forces' operational headquarters, they are familiar with the assessments made at the Ministry of Defense.

- We know the assessments and await the situation. For the time being, it is at a political level, says war captain and spokesperson Jørn Hammarbeck.


The frigate KNM Fridtjof Nansen and crew from the Marine Hunter Command on assignment in the Gulf of Aden off Somalia.

PHOTO: THE ARMED FORCES
Can be sent outside NATO's core areas »
Minister of Defense Frank Bakke-Jensen says that the exercises have a clear purpose. The goal is for the US Navy to become better at conducting operations with its allies.

- We will strengthen Norwegian maritime participation in activities that build on the capacity for collective defense. They must also promote interoperability with US naval forces. It will facilitate American strengthening of Europe and Norway in crisis and war, says Frank Bakke-Jensen.


Minister of Defense Frank Bakke-Jensen confirms that the government is considering sending a Norwegian frigate to the Middle East.

PHOTO: JIL YNGLAND / JIL YNGLAND
According to the Minister, the main activity will be added to the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. He confirms that operations in other sea areas may also be relevant. The preliminary sailing plan extends over four months.

- Deployments are opened up outside NATO's core areas. The final decision on participation is made when agreements have been negotiated, says Bakke-Jensen.

The Minister of Defense does not want to give more details about the planning process. He also does not want to say whether he will go in to send Norwegian vessels to the Gulf of Oman.

In the summer of 2019 , Norway was asked to assist militarily in the Persian Gulf . At that time, no contribution came from Norway.

Receives support from SV
Together with Rødt, SV is also critical of the assessments now being made by the government. SV leader Audun Lysbakken sent an inquiry to Minister of Defense Frank Bakke-Jensen on Friday. He asks the Ministry of Defense to account for the emergency preparedness and financial consequences it will have if a Norwegian frigate is to participate in the naval group.

In the inquiry, Lysbakken goes so far as to suggest that he believes the emergency preparedness will be weakened by sending a frigate out of the country over several months.

Committee leader rejects Red criticism
The chair of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee in the Storting, Anniken Huitfeldt (Labor Party), believes that joint training with the USA is important.


Anniken Huitfeldt does not support the criticism of the government.

PHOTO: AUDUN BRAASTAD / NTB
It is necessary to prepare naval vessels for missions outside NATO's core areas.

- That we train and practice together with our allies in NATO is unproblematic. It can only be controversial for those who are opposed to Norwegian NATO membership, says Anniken Huitfeldt.

She further says that "tropicalization" of naval vessels is not a secret. However, it is necessary and means that Norway can contribute to international operations.

- I am proud of our efforts against pirates in the Gulf of Aden and when a Norwegian frigate assisted with the export of chemical weapons from Syria, Huitfeldt says.

Nevertheless, the committee leader has concerns that the government is considering sending a naval vessel to exercises outside Iran.

- The Labor Party has not taken a position on specific proposals for exercises and operations. We have previously been skeptical that Norwegian naval vessels will participate in operations in the Strait of Hormuz without a mandate from the UN Security Council, says Huitfeldt.
 
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