October 12, 2005

The Soviet Russian Republic (SRR) has consolidated its hold on the Kola Peninsula since gaining its independence in a bloody civil war.  Although weakened by the war against allied "Blue" Russian and NATO forces, the SRR has retained a sizable force structure and has kept forces at a high level of readiness.  Given the threat of further territory grabs and a crumbling Russian economy, Russia and the SRR have enacted a trading relationship and a non-aggression agreement.  Chief among trade items has been surplus Russian military equipment and spare parts.  While Russia has been able to use this trading relationship to bolster its failing economy, the SRR has used the influx of new arms to give its forces a potent offensive capability. 

Given the limited natural resources and manufacturing capabilities of the SRR, the ability to support a fledgling economy has been limited at best.  In a gambit to secure the fisheries and oil deposits of northern Norway, the SRR has launched an invasion.  With the Norwegian military caught unprepared, SRR forces have been able to strike deep
into Norway and now occupy it as far west as Alta.  Rather than over-extending their line of communications and resupply, SRR forces have taken up defensive positions west of Alta and have announced the annexation of the occupied territory. 

Seeking not be entangled in the events, Finland and Sweden have declared their neutrality in the conflict.

Fearful that the SRR will continue its push west after consolidating its hold of occupied Norway, NATO forces have mobilized a small blocking force west of the SRR positions.  However, it is NATO's intent to reinforce this blocking force into an offensive capable force that will retake Norway.

While ground forces are being transferred to the region, Naval and Air Force units will begin operations to prepare the battlefield.  These will consist of:

USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) Carrier Battle Group (CVBG) 16, Cruiser Destroyer Group 2, and Destroyer Squadron 26.

USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76)
USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55) equipped with Helicopter Anti Submarine Squadron (Light) 48 
USS Vella Gulf (CG 72) equipped with Helicopter Anti Submarine Squadron (Light) 44 
USS Ross (DDG 71) 
USS Ramage (DDG 61)
USS Peterson (DD 969) equipped with Helicopter Anti Submarine Squadron (Light) 46 
USS Hayler (DD 997) equipped with Helicopter Anti Submarine Squadron (Light) 40
USS Elrod (FFG 55) equipped with Helicopter Anti Submarine Squadron (Light) 42 
USS Halyburton (FFG 40)
USS Albuquerque (SSN 706) 
USS Baltimore (SSN 704) 

Embarked on the USS Reagan is carrier air wing seven (CVW-7) that consists of:
 
VF-143 "Dogs" (F-14B) 14 aircraft
VFA-11 "Red Rippers" (F/A-18E) 14 aircraft
VFA-136 "Knighthawks" (F/A-18C) 12 aircraft
VFA-131 "Wildcats" (F/A-18C) 12 aircraft
VAW-121 "Bluetails" (E-2C) 4 aircraft
HS-5 "Nightdippers" (H/SH-60F/H) 8 aircraft
VAQ-140 "Patriots" (EA-6B) 4 aircraft
VS-31 "Topcats" (S-3B) 8 aircraft
VQ-6 "Black Ravens" (ES-3A) 6 aircraft

US Air Force Deployments consists of:

The 366th Composite Air Wing:
389th Fighter Squadron, 18xF-16C (Tromso afld)
391st Fighter Squadron, 18xF-15E (Bardufoss afld)
34th Bomber Squadron, 12xB-52G (Bodo afld)
390th Fighter Squadron, 18xF-15C (Bardufoss afld)

37th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 12xF-117A (Andoya afld)

507th Operations Group. E-3 AWACS (Bodo afld)

93rd Air Control Wing (Det. 8).  E-8 JSTARS (Bodo afld)

The Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNAF) has forward-deployed two squadrons from Bodo:
Skvadron 331, 12xF-16C (Tromso afld)
Skvadron 334, 12xF-16C (Tromso afld)

RAF deployments include:
No. 13 Squadron, 12xTornado Gr. Mk 1A (Andoya afld)

The following is an intelligence estimate of SRR forces supporting the occupation of Norway.

Air Units:
968th Fighter Regiment (968 iap), 24xMiG-29 (Alta afld)
73rd Fighter Regiment (73 iap), 24xMiG-29 (Alta afld)
941st Air Defense Fighter Regiment (941 iap PVO), 18xSu-27 (Banak afld)
641st Air Defense Fighter Regiment (641 iap PVO), 18xSu-27 (Banak afld)
174th Air Defense Fighter Regiment (174 iap PVO), 18xMiG-31M (Kirkenes afld)
297th Naval Attack Regiment, 24xSu-25 (Banak afld)
840th H. Bomber Regiment (326 HBD), 22xTu-22M (Kilpyavr afld)
987th Naval Air Recon Regiment (924 mrap), 6xTu-22MR (Kilpyavr afld)
25xSu-33 Assigned to CV Kuznetsov Air Wing (Kilpyavr afld)

Air Defense units subordination is unknown but at least one SA-10C brigade consisting of at least six firing battalions and one SA-11 brigade consisting of at least four firing battalions are deployed in occupied Norway and western SRR.

SRR ground forces include:
163rd Motorized Rifle Division
759th Motorized Rifle Regiment
662nd Motorized Rifle Regiment
203rd AntiTank Battalion
304th AntiTank Company
312th Tank Battalion
222nd Tank Battalion
122nd Artillery Regiment
179th Artillery Regiment
403rd Air Defense Company

SRR Naval forces in the region include:
Sovremenny-class
SRRS Vazhniy
SRRS Aleksandr Nevskiy
SRRS Buliny
SRRS Besstrashny

Krivak II-class
SRRS Rezvy
SRRS Gromky
SRRS Legkiy
SRRS Pytlivy

Slava/Moskva-class
SRRS Moskva
SRRS Marshal Ustinov
SRRS Varyag
SRRS Admiral Flota Lobov

Kuznetsov-class
SRRS Kuznetsov
