Four US Navy Ships Enter the Barents Sea for the First Time in Decades

The operation aims to assert freedom of navigation. Four ships of the US Navy on Monday for the first time in decades entered the Barents Sea as part of operations aimed at ensuring freedom of navigation in the Arctic Circle. The destroyers "Donald Cook", "Porter" and "Roosevelt" and high-speed combat support ship "Supply" were joined by a UK Royal Navy frigate "Kent". US surface vessels, unlike submarines that regularly fly in the Arctic, have not operated in the Barents Sea since the mid-1980s. US surface vessels, unlike submarines that regularly route in the Arctic, have not operated in the Barents Sea since the mid-1980s. "In these challenging times, it is more important than ever that we maintain our steady drumbeat of operations across the European theater," Vice Adm. Lisa Franchetti, commander, U.S. 6th Fleet, said in a statement. She added that the operation is key to reinforcing a foundation of Arctic readiness, where severe weather conditions pose a serious challenge to vessels. U.S. 6th Fleet said it had notified the Russian Defense Ministry of the upcoming operation in the Barents Sea on Friday "to avoid misperceptions, reduce risk, and prevent inadvertent escalation." General Tod Wolters, Commander of the European Command of the US Armed Forces and Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the NATO Armed Forces in Europe, speaking in the Senate Committee on Armed Forces in February, noted that the situation in the Arctic continues to cause “serious concern” for the alliance amid increased Russian military activity and China in this region. He suggested that the United States should maintain the same level of concentration in the Arctic as in the Baltic region and other regions. NATO exercises started in the Arctic in March, but they were stopped early by the decision of the Norwegian government in connection with the coronavirus pandemic. Maneuvers called the Cold Response were conducted as part of the larger exercises Defender of Europe 2020, various elements of which were canceled, postponed or modified due to COVID-19.