Royal Norwegian Air Force

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Royal Norwegian Air Force

The Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) is the air force

Air force

An air force, also known in some countries as an air army or historically an army air corps , is in the broadest sense, the national armed force or armed service that primarily conducts aerial warfare....
of Norway

Norway

Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a constitutional monarchy in Northern Europe that occupies the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula....
. It was established as a separate arm of the Norwegian armed forces on 10 November, 1944. The RNoAF's peace force is approximately 1,430 employees (officers, enlisted staff and civilians). Six hundred personnel are also serving their one-year national service in the Air Force. After mobilization

Mobilization

This article describes military mobilization. For other meanings, see Mobilization .Mobilization is the act of assembling and making both troops and supplies ready for war....
the RNoAF would consist of approximately 5,500 personnel.

The infrastructure of the RNoAF includes seven airbase

Airbase

An airbase is a military base that provides basing and support of military aircraft. They are different to civilian airports in that they do not provide for large volume of passenger transits, and cargo handling is not processed by the Customs and immigration facilities....
s (at Andøya

Andøya Air Station

And?ya Air Station is situated in the north of Norway, in the municipality of And?y. At And?ya, the 333 Squadron is based with P-3 Orion. The squadron is Norway's only surveillance squadron and stands as the airborne defence of northern Norway....
, Bardufoss

Bardufoss Air Station

Bardufoss Air Station is located in the municipality of M?lselv in Troms county in Northern Norway. It is the location for the 139th Air Wing and two helicopter squadrons; the 337 Squadron operating Westland Lynx for the Norwegian Coast Guard and the 339 Squadron equipped with Bell 412SPs....
, Bodø

Bodø Main Air Station

Bod? Main Air Station The air force base is manned by approximately 450 conscripted recruits, with 1000 employees in total. Bod? Main Air Station hosts 50% of the Norwegian jet fighter force....
, Gardermoen

Gardermoen Air Station

Gardermoen Air Station is located about 50 km north of Oslo, Norway. It is the location for the 135th Airwing and the 335th Squadron of the Royal Norwegian Air Force, who operate six C-130 transport aircraft....
, Rygge

Rygge Air Station

Rygge Airbase is located in the municipalities of Rygge and R?de in ?stfold, Norway. The Royal Norwegian Air Force operates various squadron and aircraft at the airbase, including Sea King helicopters, F-5 Freedom Fighters, Dassault Falcon 20 aircraft as well as Bell 412 helicopters....
, Sola

Sola Air Station

Sola Air Station in Sola municipality in Norway is operated by the Royal Norwegian Air Force. Air Wing 134 is stationed at Sola along with helicopter Squadron No....
and Ørland

Ørland Main Air Station

?rland Main Air Station is situated at the mouth of the Trondheimsfjord in the municipality of ?rland, in the center of Norway. ?rland is operated by the Royal Norwegian Air Force and is an important air base not only for Norway, but also for NATO....
), two control and reporting centres (at Sørreisa

Sørreisa

S?rreisa is a Municipalities of Norway in Troms Counties of Norway, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of S?rreisa....
and Mågerø

Mågerø

M?ger? is a small peninsula just south of the Norway city of T?nsberg. It is a part of the island Tj?me, a typically Norwegian summer vacation area....
) and two training centres (at Kjevik

Kristiansand Airport, Kjevik

Kristiansand Airport, Kjevik is situated northeast of the city Kristiansand, Vest-Agder in southern Norway, located 16 km from the city centre....
, Kristiansand

Kristiansand

is a city and Municipalities of Norway, and the capital of the counties of Norway of Vest-Agder, Norway and of the geographical Regions of Norway of Southern Norway , the Skagerrak coast of southern Norway consisting of the two counties Vest-Agder and Aust-Agder....
, and at Persaunet, Trondheim

Trondheim

is a city and Municipalities of Norway in S?r-Tr?ndelag Counties of Norway, Norway. The city of Trondheim was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 ....
).

History
Pre-war
Military flights started on 31 May 1912.

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Encyclopedia

The Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) is the air force

Air force

Norway

Mobilization

Airbase

Andøya Air Station

Bardufoss Air Station

Bodø Main Air Station

Gardermoen Air Station

Rygge Air Station

Sola Air Station

Sola Air Station in Sola municipality in Norway is operated by the Royal Norwegian Air Force. Air Wing 134 is stationed at Sola along with helicopter Squadron No....
and Ørland

Ørland Main Air Station

Sørreisa

S?rreisa is a Municipalities of Norway in Troms Counties of Norway, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of S?rreisa....
and Mågerø

Mågerø

M?ger? is a small peninsula just south of the Norway city of T?nsberg. It is a part of the island Tj?me, a typically Norwegian summer vacation area....
) and two training centres (at Kjevik

Kristiansand Airport, Kjevik

Kristiansand Airport, Kjevik is situated northeast of the city Kristiansand, Vest-Agder in southern Norway, located 16 km from the city centre....
, Kristiansand

Kristiansand

Trondheim

is a city and Municipalities of Norway in S?r-Tr?ndelag Counties of Norway, Norway. The city of Trondheim was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 ....
).

History

Pre-war

Military flights started on 31 May 1912. The first plane, HNoMS Start

HNoMS Start

Start was the Royal Norwegian Navy's very first fixed-wing aircraft. It was bought in Germany and arrived in Horten 25 May 1912. The cost was 30 000 Norwegian kroner and the funding came from private contributions after a speedy initiative from the commander and officers of the submarine HNoMS Kobben ....
, was bought with money donated by the public and piloted by an officer

Officer (armed forces)

An officer is a member of an Armed forces who holds a position of authority.Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereignty power and, as such, hold a Letters patent charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position....
from the submarine

Submarine

A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below water. It differs from a submersible, which has only limited underwater capability....
HNoMS Kobben (A-1). Up until 1940 most of the aircraft belonging to the Navy and Army air forces were domestic designs or built under license agreements, the main bomber/scout aircraft of the Army air force being the Dutch-origined Fokker C.V

Fokker C.V

Fokker C.V was a Netherlands light reconnaissance and Light bomber biplane aircraft manufactured by Fokker. It was designed by Anthony Fokker and the series manufacture began in 1924 at Fokker in Amsterdam....
.

Build-up for WWII

Before 1944 the Air Force were divided into the Norwegian Army Air Service

Norwegian Army Air Service

The Norwegian Army Air Service was established in 1914. Its main base and Kjeller Flyfabrikk was at Kjeller Airport. On 10 November, 1944 the NoAAS was joined with the Royal Norwegian Navy Air Service to form the Royal Norwegian Air Force....
(Hærens Flyvevaaben) and the Royal Norwegian Navy Air Service

Royal Norwegian Navy Air Service

The Royal Norwegian Navy Air Service was alongside the Norwegian Army Air Service the forerunner to the modern-day Royal Norwegian Air Force....
(Marinens Flyvevaaben). In the late 30s, as war seemed imminent, more modern aircraft was bought from abroad, including twelve Gloster Gladiator

Gloster Gladiator

The Gloster Gladiator was a United Kingdom-built biplane Fighter aircraft, used by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy and was exported to a number of other air forces during the late 1930s....
fighters from the UK, and six Heinkel He 115

Heinkel He 115

The Heinkel He 115 was a World War II Luftwaffe seaplane with three seats. It was used as a torpedo bomber and performed general seaplane duties, such as reconnaissance and Naval mine laying....
s from Germany

Nazi Germany

Nazi Germany and the Third Reich are the colloquial English names for Germany under the regime of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party , which established a Totalitarianism dictatorship that existed from 1933 to 1945....
. Considerable orders for aircraft were placed with U.S.

United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
companies during the months prior to the invasion of Norway on 9 April, 1940.

The most important of the US orders were two orders for comparatively modern Curtiss P-36 Hawk

P-36 Hawk

The Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company P-36 Hawk, also known as Curtiss Hawk Model 75, was a U.S.-built fighter aircraft of the 1930s. A contemporary of the Hawker Hurricane and Messerschmitt Bf 109, it was one of the first fighters of the new generation ? sleek monoplanes with extensive use of metal in construction and powerful piston...
monoplane

Monoplane

A monoplane is an aircraft with one main set of wing surfaces, in contrast to a biplane or triplane. Since the late 1930s it has been the "ordinary" form for a fixed wing aircraft....
fighters. The first was for 24 Hawk 75A-6 (with 1200 hp

Horsepower

Horsepower is the name of several non-International System of Units units of power . It was originally defined to allow the output of steam engines to be measured and compared with the power output of draft horses....
Pratt & Whitney

Pratt & Whitney

Pratt & Whitney is an American aircraft engine manufacturer of products widely used in both civil and military aircraft list. As one of the "big three" aero-engine manufacturers, it competes with GE Aircraft Engines and Rolls-Royce plc, although it has also formed joint ventures with both of these companies....
R-1830-SC3-G Twin Wasp engines), 19 of which were delivered before the invasion. Of these 19, though, none were operational when the attack came. A number were still in their shipping crates in Oslo harbour, while others stood at the Kjeller

Kjeller

Kjeller is located near Lillestr?m in the municipality of Skedsmo, Norway. It is located 25 kilometers north of Oslo.Kjeller contains:*Kjeller Airport...
aircraft factory, flight ready, but none combat ready. Some of the Kjeller aircraft had not been fitted with machine guns, and those that had been fitted still lacked gun sights.

The five 75A-6s that were still in the US were sent to the Little Norway

Little Norway

Little Norway was a Norwegian Army Air Service/Royal Norwegian Air Force training camp in Canada during World War II. The camp was opened in November 1940, located in the Toronto waterfront, on the shores of Lake Ontario....
training base of the exiled Royal Norwegian Air Force near Toronto

Toronto

Toronto is the List of the 100 largest municipalities in Canada by population in Canada and the Provinces and territories of Canada Provincial and territorial capitals of Canada of Ontario....
. All 19 Norwegian P-36s that were captured by the German invaders were later sold by the German authorities to the Finnish Air Force

Finnish Air Force

The Finnish Air Force is one of the branches of the Finnish Defence Forces. Its peacetime tasks are airspace surveillance, identification flights, and production of Finnish Rapid Deployment Force for wartime conditions....
, which was to use them to good effect during the Continuation War

Continuation War

The Continuation War }} was the second of two wars fought between Finland and the Soviet Union during World War II.At the time the name was used to make clear its perceived relationship to the preceding Winter War of 30 November 1939 to 13 March 1940, the first of two wars fought between Finland and the Soviet Union during World War II....
.

The other order for P-36s was for 36 Hawk 75A-8 (with 1200 hp Wright R-1820

Wright R-1820

The Wright R-1820 Cyclone 9 was an American radial engine developed by Curtiss-Wright and widely used on 1930s through 1950s aircraft....
-95 Cyclone 9 engines), none of which were delivered in time for the invasion. The 30 completed machines were, like the 75A-6s, diverted to Little Norway. There they were used for training Norwegian pilots until the USAAF took over the aircraft and used them under the designation P36G

Also ordered prior to the invasion were 24 Northrop N-3PB

Northrop N-3PB

The Northrop N-3PB is a sleek single engine low wing float plane with a crew of three. The Royal Norwegian Navy Air Service was the only customer of the type....
float planes built in on Norwegian specifications for a patrol bomber

Patrol bomber

A Maritime patrol aircraft, also simply patrol aircraft, or by the older term patrol bomber, is a fixed-wing aircraft designed to operate for long durations over water in maritime patrol, anti-shipping, Anti-submarine warfare and search and rescue roles....
. The order was made on March 12, 1940 in an effort to replace the Royal Norwegian Navy Air Service's obsolete MF.11 biplane patrol aircraft. None of the type were delivered by 9 April and when they became operational with the 330 (Norwegian) Squadron

No. 330 Squadron RAF

No. 330 Squadron RNoAF is a helicopter squadron in the Royal Norwegian Air Force which at all times has a helicopter stationed on each of five Norwegian air stations....
in May 1941 they were stationed at Reykjavík

Reykjavík

is the Capital and largest city of Iceland. Its latitude at 64?08' N makes it the world's most northern national capital city. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxafl?i Bay....
, Iceland

Iceland

Iceland, officially the Republic of Iceland , is an island country located in the North Atlantic Ocean between mainland Europe and Greenland....
performing anti-submarine and convoy

Convoy

A convoy is a group of vehicles traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas....
escort duties.

World War II

The unequal situation led to the rapid defeat of the Norwegian air forces, even though seven Gladiators from Jagevingen (the fighter wing) defended Fornebu airport

Oslo Airport, Fornebu

Oslo Airport, Fornebu was the main airport serving Oslo, Norway before it closed in 1998. It was located in the municipality of B?rum and opened on 1 June 1939....
against the attacking German forces with some success - claiming two Me 110

Messerschmitt Bf 110

The Messerschmitt Bf 110 ) was a twin-engine heavy fighter in the service of the Luftwaffe during Second World War. Hermann G?ring was a proponent of the Bf 110, and nicknamed it his Eisenseiten, or "Ironsides"....
heavy fighters, two He 111

Heinkel He 111

The Heinkel He 111 was a German aircraft designed by G?nter brothers in the early 1930s in violation of the Treaty of Versailles. Often described as a "Wolf in sheep's clothing", it masqueraded as a transport aircraft, but its purpose was to provide the Luftwaffe with a fast medium bomber....
bombers and one Junkers Ju 52

Junkers Ju 52

The Junkers Ju 52 was a Cargo aircraft manufactured 1932 ? 1945 by Junkers. It saw both civilian and military service during the 1930s and 1940s....
transport. Jagevingen lost two Gladiators to ground strafing

Strafing

Strafing is the practice of attacking ground targets from low-flying aircraft. The term is usually applied to attacks with aircraft-mounted automatic weapons, but may be applied to attacks with bombs, though not high-level bomb delivery....
while they were rearming on Fornebu and one in the air, shot down by Future Experte Helmut Lent

Helmut Lent

Helmut Lent was an Flying ace German fighter pilot of World War II, and one of only 27 people awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross ....
, injuring the sergeant pilot. After the withdrawal of allied forces, the Norwegian Government gave up fighting in Norway and evacuated to the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
on 10 June, 1940.

Only aircraft of the Royal Norwegian Navy Air Service had the range to fly all the way from their last remaining bases in Northern Norway to the UK. Included amongst the Norwegian aircraft that reached the British Isles were four German made Heinkel He 115 seaplane bombers, six of which were bought before the war and two more were captured from the Germans during the Norwegian Campaign

Norwegian Campaign

The Norwegian Campaign, was the name used by the Allies of World War II United Kingdom and France for their first direct land confrontation with the military forces of Nazi Germany in World War II....
. One He 115 also escaped to Finland before the surrender of mainland Norway, as did three M.F. 11

Høver M.F. 11

The Marinens Flyvebaatfabrikk MF.11 was a three-seat, single-engined biplane used by the Royal Norwegian Navy Air Service for maritime reconnaissance in the decade before World War II....
s; landing on Lake Salmijärvi in Petsamo

Petsamo

Petsamo may refer to one of the following*A former area of Finland, which is now Pechengsky District of Russia*Finnish name for the Pechenga settlement...
. A captured Arado Ar 196

Arado Ar 196

The Ar 196 was a shipboard reconnaissance aircraft built by the Germany firm Arado Flugzeugwerke starting in 1936. The next year it was selected as the winner of a design contest, and became the standard aircraft of the Kriegsmarine throughout World War II....
originating from the German heavy cruiser

Heavy cruiser

The heavy cruiser was a type of cruiser, a naval warship designed for long range, high speed and an armament of naval guns roughly 203mm calibre ....
Admiral Hipper

German cruiser Admiral Hipper

The German cruiser Admiral Hipper was the lead ship of the Admiral Hipper class cruiser heavy cruisers which served with the Kriegsmarine of Germany during World War II....
was also flown to Britain for testing.

For the Norwegian Army Air Service aircraft the only option for escape was Finland, where the planes would be interned but at least not fall into the hands of the Germans. In all two Fokker C.V.s and one de Havilland Tiger Moth

De Havilland Tiger Moth

The de Havilland DH 82 Tiger Moth is a List of years in aviation biplane designed by Geoffrey de Havilland and was operated by the Royal Air Force and others as a primary trainer ....
made it across the border and onto Finnish airfields just before the capitulation of mainland Norway. All navy and army aircraft that fled to Finland were pressed into service with the Finnish Air Force

Finnish Air Force

The Finnish Air Force is one of the branches of the Finnish Defence Forces. Its peacetime tasks are airspace surveillance, identification flights, and production of Finnish Rapid Deployment Force for wartime conditions....
.

The Army and Navy air services established themselves in Britain under the command of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Joint Chiefs of Staff

The Joint Chiefs of Staff is a group of military leaders in the United States armed forces who advise the civilian government of the United States....
. Norwegian air and ground crews operated as part of the British Royal Air Force

Royal Air Force

The Royal Air Force is the United Kingdom's air force, the oldest independent air force in the world. Formed on 1 April 1918, the RAF has taken a significant role in British military history ever since, playing a large part in World War II and in more recent conflicts....
, in both wholly Norwegian squadrons and also in other squadrons and units such as RAF Ferry Command

RAF Ferry Command

[Image:RAF Darell's Island.jpg|thumb|300px|RAF Darrell's Island, Bermuda during World War II. This base was used throughout the war for trans-Atlantic ferrying of aircraft The RAF Ferry Command had a short life, but it spawned, in part, an organisation that lasted well beyond the war years during which is was formed....
and RAF Bomber Command

RAF Bomber Command

RAF Bomber Command was the organisation that controlled the Royal Air Force's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. During World War II, the command destroyed a significant proportion of Nazi Germany's industries and many German cities, and in the 1960s, was at the peak of its postwar power with the V bombers and a supplemental force of English E...
. In particular, Norwegian personnel operated two squadrons of Supermarine Spitfire

Supermarine Spitfire

The Supermarine Spitfire is a United Kingdom single-seat fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allies of World War II countries through the Second World War and on into the 1950s as a frontline fighter and in secondary roles....
s: RAF 132 (Norwegian) Wing consisted of No. 331 (Norwegian) Squadron

No. 331 Squadron RAF

No. 331 Squadron RAF was a Second World War squadron of the Royal Air Force....
and RAF No. 332 (Norwegian) Squadron

No. 332 Squadron RAF

No. 332 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was formed at RAF Catterick on 16 January 1942, as a Supermarine Spitfire-equipped fighter squadron manned by Norways....
. Both planes and running costs were financed by the exiled Norwegian

Norway

Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a constitutional monarchy in Northern Europe that occupies the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula....
government.

In the autumn of 1940, a Norwegian training center known as "Little Norway

Little Norway

CFB Borden

Canadian Forces Base Borden is a Canadian Forces base located in Ontario.The historic birthplace of the Royal Canadian Air Force, CFB Borden is the largest training facility in the Canadian Forces....
outside of Toronto

Toronto waterfront

The Toronto waterfront is the lakeshore of Lake Ontario in the City of Toronto, Ontario in Canada. It spans 46 kilometres between the mouth of Etobicoke Creek in the west, and the Rouge River in the East....
, Canada

Canada

Canada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean....
.

The Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) was established by a royal decree on November 1, 1944, thereby merging the Army and Navy air forces. No. 331 (Norwegian) Squadron defended London from 1941 and was the highest scoring fighter squadron

Squadron

A squadron is a small military unit or formation of cavalry, Armoured forces, aircraft , or warships....
in South England during the war.

Up until May 8, 1945, 335 persons had lost their lives while taking part in the efforts of the RNoAF.

Post-war air force

After the war the Spitfire remained in service with the RNoAF into the fifties.

In 1947, the Surveillance and Control Division acquired its first radar system, and around the same time the RNoAF got its first jet fighter

Jet fighter

Jet fighter may refer to:* Jet fighter, a class of fighter aircraft* Jet Fighter , a 1975 arcade game by AtariSee also*Jet...
s in the form of De Havilland Vampire

De Havilland Vampire

The de Havilland DH.100 Vampire was a United Kingdom jet-engined fighter of the World War II, the second jet-powered aircraft commissioned by the Royal Air Force during the War , although it was not used in combat....
s.

In 1949 Norway co-founded NATO

NATO

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization , also called the Atlantic Alliance, is a military alliance established by the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty on 4 April 1949....
, and soon afterwards received American aircraft through the MAP (Military Aid Program). The expansion of the Air Force happened at a very rapid pace as the Cold War

Cold War

The Cold War was the continuing state of conflict, tension and competition that existed between a number of world powers, including the United States, the Soviet Union, People's Republic of China, France, United Kingdom and those countries' respective allies from the mid-1940s to the early 1990s....
progressed. Throughout the Cold War the Norwegian Air Force was only one of two NATO air forces — Turkey

Turkey

Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country that stretches across the Anatolian peninsula in southwest Asia and Thrace in the Balkans region of Southern Europe....
being the other — with a responsibility for an area with a land border with the Soviet Union

Soviet Union

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was a Constitution of the Soviet Union socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991.The name is a translation of the , romanization of Russian Soyuz Sovetskikh Sotsialisticheskikh Respublik, abbreviated ????, SSSR....
, and Norwegian fighter aircraft had on average 500-600 interceptions of Soviet aircraft each year.

In 1959, the Anti-Aircraft Artillery

Anti-aircraft warfare

Anti-aircraft warfare, or air defense, is any method of engaging hostile military aircraft in defense of ground Tactical objective, ground or naval forces or denial of passage through a specific Territorial waters region, Area or anti-aircraft combat zone....
was integrated into the Royal Norwegian Air Force.

21st Century RNoAF

In October 2002, a tri-national force of 18 Norwegian, Danish

Royal Danish Air Force

The Royal Danish Air Force is the air force of Denmark, it is an expeditionary Air Force, with capability organised to support both international operations and homeland security....
, and Dutch

Royal Netherlands Air Force

The Royal Netherlands Air Force , Dutch language Koninklijke Luchtmacht , is the aviation branch of the Netherlands armed forces. Its ancestor, the Luchtvaartafdeeling of the Dutch Army was founded on July 1, 1913, with just four pilots....
F-16 fighter-bombers, with one Dutch Air Force KC-10A tanker, flew to the Manas Air Base

Manas Air Base

Manas Air Base is a United States military installation at Manas International Airport, near Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, primarily operated by the United States Air Force....
in Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan , officially the Kyrgyz Republic, is a country in Central Asia. Landlocked and mountainous, it is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the southwest and People's Republic of China to the east....
, to support the NATO ground forces in Afghanistan

Afghanistan

Afghanistan , officially the Islamic republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country that is located approximately in the center of Asia....
as a part of the Operation Enduring Freedom

Operation Enduring Freedom

Operation Enduring Freedom is the official name used by the U.S. Government for its contribution to the War in Afghanistan , together with three smaller military actions, under the umbrella of its War on Terrorism ....
.

In 2004, four F-16s participated on NATO's Baltic Air Policing

Baltic Air Policing

The Baltic air-policing mission is a NATO air defence Scrambling in order to guard the airspace over the three Baltic states Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania....
operation.

Since February, 2006, eight Royal Netherlands Air Force F-16s, joined by four Royal Norwegian Air Force F-16s, have been supporting NATO International Security Assistance Force

International Security Assistance Force

International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security and development mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement ....
ground troops mostly in the southern provinces of Afghanistan. The air detachment is know as the 1st Netherlands-Norwegian European Participating Forces Expeditionary Air Wing (1 NLD/NOR EEAW).

Future plans

The RNoAF will conduct several investments in the coming years. First the European helicopter NH-90

NHI NH90

The NHI NH90 is a medium sized, twin-engine, multi-role military, fly-by-wire helicopter manufactured by NHIndustries. The NH90, which can be flown by a single pilot, is designed to operate by night and day and in poor weather....
will be introduce to replace the Lynx helicopters as a ship-borne helicopter, but the Air Force also have an option of buying an additional 15 Search and rescue

Search and rescue

Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger....
helicopters to replace its aging Sea King

Sea King

Sea King may refer to:* Sea-King, the Viking name for a powerful pirate* Poseidon, the god of the sea in Greek mythology* Seaking , an orange and white, fishlike water-type Pok?mon...
helicopters. During a five-year period the Government will also decide upon the future of the transport aircraft fleet, and also decide which new fighter-bomber to buy in 2010. The main fighter aircraft in the competition seem to be the Anglo-American made Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin is a large Multinational corporation aerospace manufacturer and advanced technology company formed in 1995 by the Horizontal integration of Lockheed with Martin Marietta....
F-35 Lightning II
F-35 Lightning II

The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a Fighter aircraft#Fifth generation jet fighters , single-seat, single-engine, Stealth aircraft-capable military aviation strike fighter, a Multirole combat aircraft that can perform close air support, tactical bombing, and Aerial warfare missions....
and the Swedish Saab

Saab

Saab AB is an aerospace and defense company based in Sweden....
-made JAS 39 Gripen
JAS 39 Gripen

The Saab JAS 39 Gripen is a 4.5th generation fighter aircraft#.22Fourth and half.22 generation fighter aircraft manufactured by the Sweden aerospace company Saab....
. On 20 November 2008, the prime minister of Norway Jens Stoltenberg

Jens Stoltenberg

is the Prime Minister of Norway. He took office in October of 2005; he was previously Prime Minister from 2000 to 2001. He has also been the leader of the Norwegian Labour Party since 2002....
announced that the F-35 was the only fighter fulfilling all the Norwegian requirements and thus the preferred choice. Stoltenberg stated that cooperation with the Nordic countries on defence and security would continue independently of the F-35 purchase.

Organisation

The RNoAF is organized in six Air Wings. These are divided into a total of nine squadrons of planes as well as two anti aircraft units. Bodø Main Air Station
Bodø Main Air Station

Bod? Main Air Station The air force base is manned by approximately 450 conscripted recruits, with 1000 employees in total. Bod? Main Air Station hosts 50% of the Norwegian jet fighter force....

132. Air Wing

Squadron 331 (F-16A MLU
F-16 Fighting Falcon

The Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon is a Multirole combat aircraft jet aircraft fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force....
)
Squadron 332 (F-16A MLU
F-16 Fighting Falcon

The Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon is a Multirole combat aircraft jet aircraft fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force....
)
GBAD Battalion (NASAMS
NASAMS

NASAMS is a distributed and networked medium to long range Anti-aircraft warfare. NASAMS was the first surface-based application for the AIM-120 AMRAAM , and the first surface-to-air missile system in the western world with active radar homing....
and NASAMS 2 batteries)
Squadron 330 (Detachment) (Sea King
Westland Sea King

The Westland WS-61 Sea King is a United Kingdom license-built version of the United States SH-3 Sea King helicopter of the same name, built by Westland Helicopters....
, rescue)

Station Group Banak at Banak Air Station
Banak Air Station

Station Group Banak , formerly Banak Air Station, is located in Porsanger in Finnmark, Norway. It is operated by the Royal Norwegian Air Force, which has two Westland Sea King helicopters that are used for search and rescue operations, mostly over the Barents Sea....
(Lakselv Airport
Lakselv Airport, Banak

Lakselv Airport, Banak is located 1,5 km from the town of Lakselv in the municipality of Porsanger in Finnmark county, Norway. Apart from Lakselv, the airport also serves Karasjok, some 74 km to the south, with corresponding airport coach six days a week....
)

Squadron 330 (Detachment) (Sea King
Westland Sea King

The Westland WS-61 Sea King is a United Kingdom license-built version of the United States SH-3 Sea King helicopter of the same name, built by Westland Helicopters....
, rescue)

Ørland Main Air Station
Ørland Main Air Station

?rland Main Air Station is situated at the mouth of the Trondheimsfjord in the municipality of ?rland, in the center of Norway. ?rland is operated by the Royal Norwegian Air Force and is an important air base not only for Norway, but also for NATO....

138. Air Wing

Squadron 338 (F-16A MLU
F-16 Fighting Falcon

The Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon is a Multirole combat aircraft jet aircraft fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force....
, NRF - NATO
NATO

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization , also called the Atlantic Alliance, is a military alliance established by the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty on 4 April 1949....
Reaction Force)
GBAD Battalion (NASAMS 2 batteries)
Mobile Base-set (IRF support)

Squadron 330 (Detachment) (Sea King
Westland Sea King

The Westland WS-61 Sea King is a United Kingdom license-built version of the United States SH-3 Sea King helicopter of the same name, built by Westland Helicopters....
, rescue)
NATO
NATO

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization , also called the Atlantic Alliance, is a military alliance established by the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty on 4 April 1949....
Airborne Early Warning Force - Forward Operating Location (E-3A Sentry
E-3 Sentry

The Boeing Integrated Defense Systems E-3 Sentry is an United States military airborne warning and control system aircraft that provides all-weather surveillance, command, control and communications, to the United States, United Kingdom, France, Saudi Arabia, and NATO air defense forces....
)

Andøya Air Station
Andøya Air Station

And?ya Air Station is situated in the north of Norway, in the municipality of And?y. At And?ya, the 333 Squadron is based with P-3 Orion. The squadron is Norway's only surveillance squadron and stands as the airborne defence of northern Norway....

133. Air Wing

Squadron 333
No. 333 Squadron RAF

No. 333 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force squadron of the Second World War. After the war it became 333 Squadron of the Royal Norwegian Air Force....
(P-3C
P-3 Orion

The Lockheed P-3 Orion is a maritime patrol aircraft used by numerous navies and air forces around the world, primarily for maritime patrol, reconnaissance, anti-surface warfare and anti-submarine warfare....
, P-3N
P-3 Orion

The Lockheed P-3 Orion is a maritime patrol aircraft used by numerous navies and air forces around the world, primarily for maritime patrol, reconnaissance, anti-surface warfare and anti-submarine warfare....
, ASW/multirole)

Bardufoss Air Station
Bardufoss Air Station

Bardufoss Air Station is located in the municipality of M?lselv in Troms county in Northern Norway. It is the location for the 139th Air Wing and two helicopter squadrons; the 337 Squadron operating Westland Lynx for the Norwegian Coast Guard and the 339 Squadron equipped with Bell 412SPs....

139. Air Wing

Squadron 337 (Lynx
Westland Lynx

The Westland Lynx is a British helicopter designed by and built Westland Helicopters at its factory in Yeovil. Originally intended as a utility craft for both civil and naval usage, military interest led to the development of both battlefield and naval variants, which went into operational usage in 1977 and were later adopted by the armed for...
/NH-90
NHI NH90

The NHI NH90 is a medium sized, twin-engine, multi-role military, fly-by-wire helicopter manufactured by NHIndustries. The NH90, which can be flown by a single pilot, is designed to operate by night and day and in poor weather....
, Coast Guard)
Squadron 339 (Bell 412 SP
Bell 412

The Bell 412 is a utility helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It is a further development of the Bell 212 model, the major difference being the composite four-blade main rotor....
, transport)
Squadron 718 (UAV/UACV)
Royal Norwegian Air Force Flight Training School (Saab Safari
Saab Safari

Saab MFI-15 Safari, also known as the Saab MFI-17 Supporter, is a trainer aircraft which is used by several air forces. The Safari is a single engined aircraft, which made its maiden flight in 1969 in aviation....
, flight training)

Gardermoen Air Station
Gardermoen Air Station

Gardermoen Air Station is located about 50 km north of Oslo, Norway. It is the location for the 135th Airwing and the 335th Squadron of the Royal Norwegian Air Force, who operate six C-130 transport aircraft....

135. Air Wing

Squadron 335 (C-130J
C-130J Super Hercules

The Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft. The C-130J is a comprehensive update of the venerable Lockheed C-130 Hercules, with new engines, flight deck, and other systems....
, transport)

Rygge Air Station
Rygge Air Station

Rygge Airbase is located in the municipalities of Rygge and R?de in ?stfold, Norway. The Royal Norwegian Air Force operates various squadron and aircraft at the airbase, including Sea King helicopters, F-5 Freedom Fighters, Dassault Falcon 20 aircraft as well as Bell 412 helicopters....

137. Air Wing

Squadron 717 (DA-20
Dassault Falcon

The Dassault Falcon is a family of business jets, manufactured by Dassault Aviation.Aircraft include:* Dassault Falcon 10 Scaled down Falcon 20 ...
, electronic warfare
Electronic warfare

Electronic warfare The term EW refers to any action involving the use of the electromagnetic spectrum or directed energy to control the EMS or to attack the enemy....
)
Squadron 720 (Bell 412 SP
Bell 412

The Bell 412 is a utility helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It is a further development of the Bell 212 model, the major difference being the composite four-blade main rotor....
, special forces transport)
Squadron 330 (Detachment) (Sea King
Westland Sea King

The Westland WS-61 Sea King is a United Kingdom license-built version of the United States SH-3 Sea King helicopter of the same name, built by Westland Helicopters....
, rescue)
Squadron 336 (not part of the operational force) (Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter
F-5 Freedom Fighter

The F-5A and F-5B Freedom Fighter and F-5E and F-5F Tiger II are part of a family of widely used light supersonic fighter aircraft, designed and built by Northrop in the United States, beginning in 1960s....
, missile testing)

Sola Air Station
Sola Air Station

Sola Air Station in Sola municipality in Norway is operated by the Royal Norwegian Air Force. Air Wing 134 is stationed at Sola along with helicopter Squadron No....

134. Air Wing

Squadron 334 (NH-90
NHI NH90

The NHI NH90 is a medium sized, twin-engine, multi-role military, fly-by-wire helicopter manufactured by NHIndustries. The NH90, which can be flown by a single pilot, is designed to operate by night and day and in poor weather....
, frigate force)
Squadron 330 (command) (Sea King
Westland Sea King

The Westland WS-61 Sea King is a United Kingdom license-built version of the United States SH-3 Sea King helicopter of the same name, built by Westland Helicopters....
, rescue)

Norwegian Air Force Academy
Norwegian Air Force Academy

The Norwegian Air Force Academy is the officer training school of the Royal Norwegian Air Force. It was established in 1949 and last reformed its education system in 2005 according to the contemporary reform in Norwegian civilian university education....
(Trondheim

Trondheim

is a city and Municipalities of Norway in S?r-Tr?ndelag Counties of Norway, Norway. The city of Trondheim was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 ....
)

Aircraft inventory

Aircraft	Type	Versions	In service	Notes
Bell 412 Bell 412 The Bell 412 is a utility helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It is a further development of the Bell 212 model, the major difference being the composite four-blade main rotor....	Utility helicopter	412SP	18	Used by the army. Of total 19 aircraft delivered, 18 were assembled by the Norwegian company Helikopter Service
Canadair CF-5 Freedom Fighter	Fighter-bomber	CF-5	15	Only used for test flights (weapon evaluation)
Dassault Falcon 20 Dassault Falcon 20 The Dassault Falcon 20 is a France business jet and was the first of a family of business jets built by Dassault Aviation....	Electronic warfare VIP	Falcon 20	2 1
Lockheed C-130 Hercules C-130 Hercules The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft built by Lockheed. It is the main tactical airlifter for many military forces worldwide....	Transport	C-130H	6	Recently taken out of serivce, and the RNoAF waits for the new C-130J-30 to arrive. The old C-130Hs were named Odin Odin Odin , is considered the chief ?sir in Norse paganism. Homologous with the Anglo-Saxons Woden and the Old High German Wotan, it is descended from Proto-Germanic Wodanaz or Wodanaz.... , Tor Thor Thor is the red-haired and bearded god of thunder in Germanic mythology and Germanic paganism, and its subsets: Norse paganism, Anglo-Saxon paganism and Continental Germanic mythology.... , Frøy, Balder Balder Baldr is a deity in Norse Mythology associated with light and beauty.In the 12th. century, Danish accounts by Saxo Grammaticus and other Danish Latin chroniclers recorded a Euhemerus account of his story.... , Ty Tyr File:T?r by Fr?lich.jpgT?r is the god of single combat, victory and heroic glory in Norse mythology, portrayed as a one-handed man. In the late Icelandic Eddas, he is portrayed, alternately, as the son of Odin or of Hymir , while the origins of his name and his possible relationship to Tuisto suggest he was once considered the father of... and Brage Bragi Bragi is a skaldic god in Norse mythology.... . To be replaced by four C-130Js by 2010, starting 2008. The first of the new C-130Js was delivered to the RNoAF on 25 November 2008 and was named Frigg Frigg Frigg is a major goddess in Norse paganism, a subset of Germanic paganism. She is said to be the wife of Odin, and is the "foremost among the goddesses".... by Norwegian Minister of Defence Minister of Defence (Norway) The Norwegian defence minister is the head of the Norwegian Ministry of Defence. The position has existed since 1814.... Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen Anne-Grete Str?m-Erichsen is a Norway politician for the Norwegian Labour Party.She was elected to the Norwegian Parliament from Hordaland in 2005.... .
Lockheed F-16 Fighting Falcon F-16 Fighting Falcon The Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon is a Multirole combat aircraft jet aircraft fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force....	Fighter	F-16AM/BM	57	Original batch of 72 license-built by Fokker. All have received a mid-life update
Lockheed P-3 Orion P-3 Orion The Lockheed P-3 Orion is a maritime patrol aircraft used by numerous navies and air forces around the world, primarily for maritime patrol, reconnaissance, anti-surface warfare and anti-submarine warfare....	Maritime surveillance	P-3C UIP P-3N	4 2
NHI NH90 NHI NH90 The NHI NH90 is a medium sized, twin-engine, multi-role military, fly-by-wire helicopter manufactured by NHIndustries. The NH90, which can be flown by a single pilot, is designed to operate by night and day and in poor weather....	Utility helicopter	NH-90 NFH	1	Total of 14 to be delivered.
Saab Safari Saab Safari Saab MFI-15 Safari, also known as the Saab MFI-17 Supporter, is a trainer aircraft which is used by several air forces. The Safari is a single engined aircraft, which made its maiden flight in 1969 in aviation....	Basic training	Safari	16
Westland Lynx Westland Lynx The Westland Lynx is a British helicopter designed by and built Westland Helicopters at its factory in Yeovil. Originally intended as a utility craft for both civil and naval usage, military interest led to the development of both battlefield and naval variants, which went into operational usage in 1977 and were later adopted by the armed for...	SAR Search and rescue Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.... helicopter	Lynx Mk.86	6	Used by the Coast Guard. To be replaced by NH90.
Westland Sea King Westland Sea King The Westland WS-61 Sea King is a United Kingdom license-built version of the United States SH-3 Sea King helicopter of the same name, built by Westland Helicopters....	SAR Search and rescue Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.... helicopter	Sea King Mk.43	12	Pure search and rescue Search and rescue Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.... , no military capabilities.

Gallery

Footnotes

External links

- Facts from the Ministry of Defense