A Norwegian F-35 fighter jet flew alongside the Russian military aircraft outside northern Norway.

The Russian Il-20M surveillance-reconnaissance aircraft flew outside Norway on both Tuesday and Wednesday and was both days followed by two F-35 fighter jets scrambled by NATO from Evenes Air Station.

The Ilyushin Il-20M is a COMINT/ELINT surveillance-reconnaissance aircraft, powered by four turboprop engines.

Russian reconnaissance aircraft flew for hours inside NATO exercise area

A Russian Ilyushin Il-20M reconnaissance aircraft from Severomorsk-1 airbase flew on Wednesday as far south as the waters outside the Lofoten area in the Norwegian Sea.

11 March 2026 - 20:33

NATO scrambled F-35 fighter jets from Evenes Air Station on two consecutive days to identify Russian Il-20M surveillance aircraft operating outside northern Norway.

On Tuesday, the Russian Northern Fleet aircraft flew in international airspace off the Finnmark region. “It turned north from Sørøya and returned to the Kola Peninsula around noon,” the Norwegian Armed Forces said in a statement.

Sørøya, outside Hammerfest, lies near the northern edge of a large area over the Norwegian Sea where NATO this week has warned of increased military traffic due to the exercise Cold Response.

Pilots are asked to be aware of increased military air traffic in this huge area over the Norwegian Sea, from outside Sørøya in the north to about outside Kristiansund in the south.

On Wednesday, a similar Russian Il-20M aircraft continued west and south-west from the North Cape into the area where 14 NATO countries are currently conducting Arctic warfare exercises on the alliance’s northern flank.

The aircraft was detected over the Barents Sea at around 09:30 and “was flying with its transponder switched off,” the Norwegian authorities said.

“Two Norwegian F-35 fighter jets on standby took off from Evenes Air Station. They identified and shadowed the aircraft along the Norwegian coast before it turned northwards off Vesterålen. The plane then flew south twice more, reaching as far as Lofoten, before returning to the Kola Peninsula around 13:30.”

This means the Russian military aircraft spent several hours inside the NATO exercise area over the Norwegian Sea.

Norwegian military authorities emphasised that the appearance of Russian surveillance aircraft was expected.

“The Russian flights are most likely intended to gather situational awareness of allied activity in connection with Cold Response 2026,” the statement said.