DEFENSE ALERT : U.S. B-2 bombers test next-generation QUICKSINK guided weapon for maritime strike in Norwegian Sea
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According to information published by the U.S. Air Force on September 10, 2025, American and Norwegian forces successfully tested next-generation precision maritime strike capabilities during a live-fire demonstration on September 3 in the Norwegian Sea. The event combined a U.S. B-2 Spirit stealth bomber with Royal Norwegian Air Force F-35A fighter jets to validate the Air Force Research Laboratory’s QUICKSINK weapon against a surface vessel, proving new methods of allied maritime strike in a contested environment.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
A U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit equipped with Joint Direct Attack Munitions taxis at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, on Sept. 2, 2025. The JDAMs were employed in the Air Force Research Laboratory’s QUICKSINK Joint Capability Technology Demonstration in the High North, conducted with Norwegian allies to validate next-generation precision maritime strike capabilities. (Picture source: U.S. DoD)
The QUICKSINK is a precision-guided weapon program designed to convert standard Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs) into effective ship-killing weapons by equipping them with advanced seekers capable of tracking and striking moving maritime targets. Unlike traditional anti-ship missiles such as the Harpoon or the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM), which are costly and limited in availability, QUICKSINK offers a scalable and affordable solution. It provides commanders with the ability to conduct high-volume maritime strike operations without depending exclusively on expensive cruise missiles, expanding the U.S. Air Force’s role in sea control.
The strike platform in this exercise, the U.S. B-2 Spirit bomber, remains the only operational stealth bomber in the world, capable of penetrating dense air defenses undetected while carrying both conventional and nuclear payloads. With intercontinental range and unmatched survivability, the B-2 provides a unique ability to deliver precision strikes against critical targets. Employing QUICKSINK from the B-2 highlights the bomber’s adaptability in evolving mission sets, including maritime strike operations that demand both reach and stealth.
On the Norwegian side, the Royal Norwegian Air Force contributed F-35A Lightning II fighter jets, which form the backbone of Norway’s modern combat aviation fleet. Norway has acquired 52 F-35As, now operational at Ørland Air Station and Evenes Air Station. The F-35’s advanced sensors, data fusion, and networked communications make it a central element in NATO’s northern defense posture. In this exercise, Norwegian F-35s provided critical support to long-range strike operations, demonstrating seamless integration with U.S. platforms in the maritime domain.
The Norwegian Sea is increasingly a zone of competition between NATO and Russia. The Russian Northern Fleet, based on the Kola Peninsula, regularly deploys advanced submarines, frigates, and missile-equipped surface combatants into these waters. Moscow has invested heavily in sea-denial capabilities, including Kalibr cruise missile systems, Bastion coastal defense batteries, and a growing fleet of nuclear-powered attack submarines, all of which threaten NATO’s vital transatlantic supply lines. In the event of conflict, Russian forces could attempt to sever maritime reinforcement routes between North America and Europe, undermining NATO’s capacity to sustain combat operations on the continent.
Exercises of this kind directly address those threats by refining distributed and survivable strike options for NATO forces. Validating QUICKSINK in an operationally demanding theater demonstrates that stealth bombers, allied fifth-generation fighters, and precision maritime munitions can be combined to neutralize adversary naval forces before they disrupt NATO’s freedom of maneuver in the High North. The exercise also highlighted the importance of allied access to infrastructure and contested airspace, ensuring new technologies are tested in realistic environments that reflect future operational challenges.
By validating both large and small QUICKSINK variants in a live maritime environment, the U.S. Air Force expanded the portfolio of strike options available to NATO commanders. This exercise signaled a deliberate shift toward next-generation strike concepts in the North Atlantic, reinforcing NATO deterrence while countering the growing presence of Russian naval power in the region.
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According to information published by the U.S. Air Force on September 10, 2025, American and Norwegian forces successfully tested next-generation precision maritime strike capabilities during a live-fire demonstration on September 3 in the Norwegian Sea. The event combined a U.S. B-2 Spirit stealth bomber with Royal Norwegian Air Force F-35A fighter jets to validate the Air Force Research Laboratory’s QUICKSINK weapon against a surface vessel, proving new methods of allied maritime strike in a contested environment.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
A U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit equipped with Joint Direct Attack Munitions taxis at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, on Sept. 2, 2025. The JDAMs were employed in the Air Force Research Laboratory’s QUICKSINK Joint Capability Technology Demonstration in the High North, conducted with Norwegian allies to validate next-generation precision maritime strike capabilities. (Picture source: U.S. DoD)
The QUICKSINK is a precision-guided weapon program designed to convert standard Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs) into effective ship-killing weapons by equipping them with advanced seekers capable of tracking and striking moving maritime targets. Unlike traditional anti-ship missiles such as the Harpoon or the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM), which are costly and limited in availability, QUICKSINK offers a scalable and affordable solution. It provides commanders with the ability to conduct high-volume maritime strike operations without depending exclusively on expensive cruise missiles, expanding the U.S. Air Force’s role in sea control.
The strike platform in this exercise, the U.S. B-2 Spirit bomber, remains the only operational stealth bomber in the world, capable of penetrating dense air defenses undetected while carrying both conventional and nuclear payloads. With intercontinental range and unmatched survivability, the B-2 provides a unique ability to deliver precision strikes against critical targets. Employing QUICKSINK from the B-2 highlights the bomber’s adaptability in evolving mission sets, including maritime strike operations that demand both reach and stealth.
On the Norwegian side, the Royal Norwegian Air Force contributed F-35A Lightning II fighter jets, which form the backbone of Norway’s modern combat aviation fleet. Norway has acquired 52 F-35As, now operational at Ørland Air Station and Evenes Air Station. The F-35’s advanced sensors, data fusion, and networked communications make it a central element in NATO’s northern defense posture. In this exercise, Norwegian F-35s provided critical support to long-range strike operations, demonstrating seamless integration with U.S. platforms in the maritime domain.
The Norwegian Sea is increasingly a zone of competition between NATO and Russia. The Russian Northern Fleet, based on the Kola Peninsula, regularly deploys advanced submarines, frigates, and missile-equipped surface combatants into these waters. Moscow has invested heavily in sea-denial capabilities, including Kalibr cruise missile systems, Bastion coastal defense batteries, and a growing fleet of nuclear-powered attack submarines, all of which threaten NATO’s vital transatlantic supply lines. In the event of conflict, Russian forces could attempt to sever maritime reinforcement routes between North America and Europe, undermining NATO’s capacity to sustain combat operations on the continent.
Exercises of this kind directly address those threats by refining distributed and survivable strike options for NATO forces. Validating QUICKSINK in an operationally demanding theater demonstrates that stealth bombers, allied fifth-generation fighters, and precision maritime munitions can be combined to neutralize adversary naval forces before they disrupt NATO’s freedom of maneuver in the High North. The exercise also highlighted the importance of allied access to infrastructure and contested airspace, ensuring new technologies are tested in realistic environments that reflect future operational challenges.
By validating both large and small QUICKSINK variants in a live maritime environment, the U.S. Air Force expanded the portfolio of strike options available to NATO commanders. This exercise signaled a deliberate shift toward next-generation strike concepts in the North Atlantic, reinforcing NATO deterrence while countering the growing presence of Russian naval power in the region.
