The Northern Flank D+15 (24 July, 1987) Part III

Through the morning and early afternoon, it was becoming clear the anticipated Soviet attack on Banak had been either delayed or cancelled altogether. The Royal Marines from 3rd Commando Brigade who secured the airbase initially had been reinforced with additional troops from that brigade, along with US Marines from the 4th Marine Amphibious Brigade. The …

The Northern Flank D+14 (23 July, 1987) Part III

The Soviet air strikes against Brigade North positions, Banak, and Andoya earlier in the afternoon underscored the need for more ground-based air defenses. They also served to impress upon NATO commanders the fact that Soviet air power could still operate effectively when allowed to concentrate their assets against a handful of targets. The HAWK batteries, …

The Northern Flank D+1 (10 July, 1987) Part II

The loss of air superiority over Northern Norway brought immediate ramifications for NATO’s entire Northern Flank defensive strategy. Air and sea surveillance of the Norwegian coast and Barents Sea would now be severely limited. The same was true for subsequent air and naval operations north of Tromso and Bardufoss. NATO land units in the northern …

The Northern Flank D+1 (10 July, 1987) Part I

10 July, 1987 began with redoubled Soviet efforts to establish air superiority over Northern Norway and pave the way for future air and sea operations farther south. The  Northwestern TVD, like its sister commands, was contending with sizable delays to its  timeline of operations. The air situation over Norway especially was a half day behind …

Northern Flank: D+0 (9 July, 1987) 0401-2359**

The Northern Flank was a geographic area that the Soviet military regarded as being vital to its war plans. Northern Norway was of especially significant value. Securing it, or neutralizing the NATO airbases located there was essential to the defense of the Soviet homeland, as well as the Soviet Union’s ability to fight a naval …