North Russian convoy JW.51B was attacked on 31 December 1942 by a German Task Group led by the Heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper with the destroyers Richard Beitzen (Z-4), Friedrich Eckholdt (Z-16), and Z-29 joined by the Heavy cruiser Lutzow with the destroyers Theodor Riedel (Z-6), Z-30, and Z-31 in Operation "Regenbogen", (Rainbow). In the ensuing actions, which involved the Cruiser Cover Force, the destroyer Achates, minesweeper Bramble and German destroyer Friedrich Eckholdt (Z-16) were sunk and the Admiral Hipper and destroyer Onslow badly damaged. Again the operation was unsuccessful in that no merchant ships were lost on passage. This engagement came to be called the ‘Battle of the Barents Sea’. The Cruiser Cover Force was heavily involved in the engagement. The Distant Cover Force played no part.

The tanker Empire Emerald was shelled by the Hipper and the American freighter Calobre by the Lutzow, both receiving some damage but the merchant ships of the convoy otherwise escaped unscathed thnks to the vigorous defence by the escorting forces.