While recent attention has focused on the Middle East following the launch of Operation Epic Fury—the massive strike carried out by the United States and Israel against Iran—other regions such as the Barents Sea remain a constant hotspot of tension between NATO and Russia. A new and particularly striking episode illustrates this dynamic: Su-35S fighters from the Russian Knights aerobatic team of the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS), escorting Tu-95 bombers, were intercepted over the Barents Sea by stealth F-35A aircraft of the Royal Norwegian Air Force.
The incident involving aircraft from the Russian Aerospace Forces and the Royal Norwegian Air Force was disclosed on February 27 as part of Norway’s ongoing surveillance and monitoring efforts in the region.
Although Norwegian Armed Forces officials described the event as routine, it required the deployment of F-35A stealth fighters to track and monitor Russian activity in the Barents Sea. The presence of Tu-95 strategic bombers (NATO reporting name: Bear H), escorted by Sukhoi Su-35S fighters, was confirmed.
Thanks to images that circulated widely online, it was confirmed that the pair of Russian fighters belongs to the Russian Knights (Russkie Vityazi), the aerobatic demonstration team of the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS).
Formed in 1991, initially operating Su-27 Flanker fighters and based at Kubinka Air Base—one of the most important air bases in the Moscow region—the Russian Knights are one of Russia’s leading and most prominent aerobatic and demonstration teams.
In recent years, the team completed its transition from the now older Su-27s to the latest iterations of the Flanker family, receiving twin-seat Su-30SM fighters in October 2016 and single-seat Su-35S aircraft in November 2019.
Although not common, the escort of bombers by fighters from the Russian aerobatic team has recent precedents. A similar event was recorded in September 2023, when they escorted Tu-95MS bombers during a series of long-range patrol flights over the Norwegian and Barents Seas, comparable to what Norway reported on February 27.
Finally, regarding additional details of this episode, the main image released of one of the aircraft shows it armed with R-77-1 and R-73/74M air-to-air missiles, essential for fulfilling the escort and protection role of the bombers deployed over the Barents Sea.
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