The past week saw an influx of USAF aircraft operations in and above Sweden's neutral territory
US and Swedish Special Operations Forces (SOF) conducted major joint exercises with air, land and sea assets. Aircraft from US Air Forces in Europe's 48th Fighter Wing, 100th Air Refueling Wing and Air Force Special Operations Command's 352nd Special Operations Wing were largely involved during this bilateral held exercises.
While multiple 351st ARS/100th ARW KC-135R Stratotankers operated out of RAF Mildenhall (UK), refueling USAF F-15Es and Swedish JAS39D/JAS39D Gripens, co-based 352nd SOW MC-130J Commando IIs and CV-22B Ospreys operated from Såtenäs Air Base (Sweden).
Four F-15E Strike Eagles assigned to RAF Lakenheath's 494th Fighter Squadron/ 48th Fighter Wing and Swedish JAS39C/JAS39D Gripens supported US and Swedish SOF with Close Air Support (CAS).
The following 352nd SOW aircraft were seen operating from Såtenäs:
Strikingly, US Navy Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewman and Special Reconnaissance Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) operators assigned to Naval Special Warfare Command (NAVSPECWARCOM) performed UUV launches and recovery training utilizing a Combatant Craft Medium (CCM) in the Baltic Sea near Karlskrona Naval Base (Sweden).
AFSOC MC-130Js, CV-22Bs and Swedish Air Force C-130Hs (Tp84) supported the Navy specialists. The latter is new. With the participation of these special units, equipment and expertise, the US and Sweden learned how to counter an enemy operation underwater. Although not confirmed, the past years, multiple unknown submarines have been sighted, and are known to have operated, within Sweden's sovereign waters.
Photos: USAF and Swedish Armed Forces / Graphics: 360°Radar, SkyScanWorld and Jamming (Twitter)