Royal Norwegian Air Force
The Royal Norwegian Air Force was formed in exile in November 1944 from an army and a navy air arm that had lost their country in 1940, spent the Cold War guarding NATO’s only land border with the Soviet Union from the far north, and in 2025 became the first F-35 partner to receive its whole order — a force of 52 stealth fighters concentrated at Ørland and Evenes, with the maritime helicopter programme still recovering from the NH90 failure.
The Royal Norwegian Air Force story: born in exile, built for the northern flank, first with a full F-35 fleet
1912–1940: two small air arms and the Gladiators at Fornebu
Norway’s military flying began in 1912, when the Army and the Navy each received their first aircraft as gifts and the Army air arm, Hærens flyvåpen, settled at Kjeller outside Oslo, where it stayed until the German occupation. The Storting formalised it in 1913, and the Navy’s flying service grew up alongside it. They were small, underfunded forces. On 9 April 1940 the Army’s fighter flight, Jagevingen, had just seven combat-ready Gloster Gladiators at Fornebu, while crated Curtiss Hawk fighters were still unassembled. The Gladiator pilots attacked a German air armada many times their size, fought until their ammunition ran out and then scattered to whatever fields were left. How many German aircraft they actually brought down is disputed. The campaign ended on 10 June 1940, and the aircrews who could escape went to Britain.
1940–1945: Little Norway and the four squadrons in the RAF
What came next is the part of the story Norway tells with most pride, and rightly. On 10 November 1940 a training camp opened on Toronto Island in Canada: Little Norway, which moved to Muskoka in May 1942 and trained more than 2,500 pilots, navigators and mechanics before it closed. From it came four Norwegian squadrons in the RAF. 330 was formed on Iceland on 25 April 1941 with Northrop N-3PB floatplanes and later flew Sunderlands; 331 formed on 21 July 1941 and 332 on 16 January 1942, both on Spitfires; 333 followed on 10 May 1943 with Catalinas and Mosquitos. The two fighter squadrons were together credited with 180 aircraft destroyed, for 131 aircraft lost and 71 pilots killed. On 10 November 1944 the Army and Navy air arms were merged into a single service: Luftforsvaret.
1949–1960: NATO, American aid and the U-2 bound for Bodø
Norway co-founded NATO in 1949, and from 1951 American military aid transformed the service. The Vampire had been its first jet in 1948–1949; the F-84 Thunderjet arrived in 1951 and 206 were delivered, followed by 179 F-86 Sabres. New bases were built with NATO money, among them Rygge and Andøya. The north mattered most: Norway shared a border with the Soviet Union, and its fighters met Soviet aircraft over the Norwegian and Barents Seas for four decades. The alliance was not always comfortable. On 1 May 1960 the U-2 flown by Francis Gary Powers was shot down over the Soviet Union, and Khrushchev announced that its planned destination had been Bodø — and Norway found itself at the centre of the crisis.
1963–2022: Starfighter, F-5 and forty-two years of F-16
The F-104 Starfighter arrived in 1963 and served until 1983, 45 in all including 22 ex-Canadian CF-104s; 92 Northrop F-5s followed from 1966 and lasted, in the end, until 2007. In 1975 Norway joined Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands in choosing the F-16, and the first of 72 landed at Rygge on 15 January 1980. The F-16 was the backbone for 42 years and took Norway into combat for the first time since 1945: over Kosovo in 1999, over Afghanistan from 2002 to 2006, and over Libya in 2011, where six jets from Souda Bay flew roughly 600 sorties and dropped 569 to 588 bombs, depending on the count. For a force of that size it was a very large share of NATO’s bombs.
2008–2022: the F-35 and the fight over Bodø and Andøya
In 2008 Norway chose the F-35A and the Storting settled on 52 aircraft, costed at NOK 68 billion in 2015 prices. The harder decision came in 2012: the fighters would be concentrated at Ørland, with a forward quick reaction alert base at Evenes, and Bodø — the country’s biggest air station and the symbol of the northern watch — would lose its fighters. The fight over that decision, and over Andøya, which the Storting voted in 2016 to close, ran for years. The first F-35s reached Ørland on 3 November 2017, the F-35 took over the alert at Evenes on 6 January 2022 and the F-16 was retired the same day; 32 of the F-16s were sold to Romania, and a handful were pledged to Ukraine.
2022–2026: a complete F-35 fleet, and the NH90 failure
On 1 April 2025 the 51st and 52nd F-35s were delivered, making Norway the first partner nation to complete its order. Five P-8A Poseidons have replaced the P-3 Orion at Evenes, 16 AW101s the Sea Kings in the rescue service, and the mountain hangars at Bardufoss were reopened for dispersed F-35 operations in 2024. The failure of the decade is the NH90: 14 were ordered in 2001, the first came six years late, and in June 2022 Norway terminated the contract and sent the helicopters back; the manufacturer settled in November 2025. Six MH-60R Seahawks are replacing them from 2026–2027, but the Coast Guard lost years of helicopter cover. The service is small — about 3,500 people — and its budget is rising under the 2024 long-term plan.
The Royal Norwegian Air Force in numbers
Service
- Native name
- LuftforsvaretNorwegian, the only official language used for the service name; the English name is Royal Norwegian Air Force. Between 1953 and 1959 the service was called Flyvåpnet
- Founded
- 10 November 1944The Army and Navy air arms, both dating from 1912, were merged in exile into a third service. Some English-language sources give 1 November; Store norske leksikon and Hærens flyvåpen’s own history give 10 November
- Part of
- Norwegian Armed Forces (Forsvaret)The air branch of the Norwegian Armed Forces
- Headquarters
- RyggeThe Chief of the Air Force and the Air Staff are at Rygge, with 134 Air Wing. NATO’s Combined Air Operations Centre Bodø controls allied air policing in the north
- Chief of the Air Force
- Maj Gen Øivind GunnerudIn post since August 2024
- Minister of Defence
- Tore O. SandvikLabour; in office by April 2025
Strength
- Personnel
- About 3,500Store norske leksikon gives slightly over 3,500 in peacetime plus about 1,100 in national service. Forsvaret’s own figure for 2021 was 4,405: 2,461 military, 419 civilians and 1,525 soldiers in initial service. The counts differ because they include or exclude conscripts
- Combat aircraft
-
- F-35A Lightning II — 52 delivered
The last two were delivered on 1 April 2025. Some of the 52 are used for pilot training; Wikipedia gives 46 plus six, but no official split was verified
- Maritime patrol
-
- P-8A Poseidon — 5
333 Squadron at Evenes; the P-3 Orion was retired at the end of June 2023
- Transport
-
- C-130J-30 Hercules — 4
335 Squadron at Gardermoen. Norway also holds a share in the multinational C-17 fleet
- Helicopters
-
- AW101 SAR Queen — 16
- Bell 412SP — 18
- MH-60R Seahawk — 6 on order
The AW101s belong to the Ministry of Justice and are flown by 330 Squadron. The NH90 was withdrawn in 2022
- Trainers
-
- Saab MFI-15 Safari — 16
Of 20 bought from 1981; at the flying school at Bardufoss. Fighter pilots train on the F-35 in the United States
- Budget
- Nearly NOK 10 billion (Air Force, 2026)Store norske leksikon’s figure for the service. The whole defence budget was NOK 110.1 billion in 2025, about 2.16 per cent of GDP
Infrastructure
- Air wings
-
- 130 Air Wing — Sola, rescue helicopters
- 131 Air Wing
- 132 Air Wing — Ørland, F-35
- 133 Air Wing — Evenes, P-8 and F-35 alert
- 134 Air Wing — Rygge, helicopters, transport and training
Five air wings, per Store norske leksikon
- Main air stations
-
- Ørland — F-35 main base
- Evenes — P-8, F-35 quick reaction alert
- Rygge — headquarters, Bell 412
- Gardermoen — C-130J
- Bardufoss — helicopters, flying school
- Sola — 330 Squadron
330 Squadron also keeps rescue detachments at Banak, Bodø, Ørland, Florø and Rygge
- Closed as a fighter base
-
- Bodø — 2022
- Andøya — P-3 left 2023
Both follow the 2012 decision to concentrate fighters at Ørland; Andøya is now planned as a base for long-range drones
- Quick reaction alert
- Evenes, two F-35AsAt 15 minutes’ readiness since January 2022, taken over from the F-16s at Bodø
- Cavern hangars
- BardufossMountain hangars deactivated for 40 years were reopened in June 2024, when F-35s taxied inside
- Allied air command
- CAOC BodøOne of NATO’s regional air operations centres, at the former main air station
How the Royal Norwegian Air Force is organised
Five air wings under the Chief of the Air Force. 132 Air Wing at Ørland flies the F-35 force and 133 Air Wing at Evenes keeps two of the jets on alert for the north, while the rescue, helicopter and transport wings are spread from Sola to Bardufoss. NATO’s air operations centre for the north sits at Bodø.
Chief of the Air Force and the Air Staff
Responsible for force production. Forsvaret’s English page places the chief and the Air Staff at Rygge; its Norwegian pages place the air force leadership at Bodø.
130 Air Wing
330 Squadron and its 16 AW101 SAR Queen rescue helicopters, owned by the Ministry of Justice and flown by the air force from Sola, Banak, Bodø, Ørland, Florø and Rygge.
131 Air Wing
Called the Maritime Helicopter Wing until 2024: 337 Squadron, waiting for MH-60R Seahawks after the NH90 was withdrawn, a new army-support 336 Squadron with Bell 412s, and the Air Force Flying School.
132 Air Wing
The fighter wing: 331, 332 and TTT Squadrons with the F-35A at Ørland, which also send the jets that stand quick reaction alert at Evenes.
133 Air Wing
Evenes: 333 Squadron with the P-8A Poseidon, the F-35 quick reaction alert for the north, and Andøya, the former maritime patrol base.
134 Air Wing
Rygge and Gardermoen: 339 Squadron SOAS with Bell 412s for the special forces, 335 Squadron with the C-130J Hercules, and the Air Force Weapons School.
Combined Air Operations Centre Bodø
One of NATO’s regional air operations centres under Allied Air Command at Ramstein, inaugurated on 10 October 2025. It controls allied air policing in the north.
What the Royal Norwegian Air Force flies today
Every type on charge, linked to its Book of Beasts page where one exists. Counts are aircraft on the books, not aircraft available on a given day.
| Type | Role | In service | Since | Units | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning IIIn service | Stealth multirole fighter | 52 | 2017 | — | All 52 ordered have been delivered, the last two on 1 April 2025. Some are used for pilot training in the United States; the split was not officially verified. | |
| Boeing P-8A PoseidonIn service | Maritime patrol and anti-submarine | 5 | 2022 | — | Five ordered for about NOK 10 billion, delivered 2022–2023. | |
| Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Super HerculesIn service | Tactical transport | 4 | — | Four in service with 335 Squadron at Gardermoen. | ||
| Leonardo AW101 SAR QueenIn service | Search and rescue helicopter | 16 | 2020 | — | All 16 in service after the last was delivered in June 2025. | |
| Bell 412SPIn service | Utility and special operations helicopter | 18 | — | 18 in service. | ||
| Saab MFI-15 SafariIn service | Basic trainer | 16 | 1981 | — | 16 of the 20 bought remain. |
On order
| Type | Ordered | First delivery | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sikorsky MH-60R SeahawkOn order | 6 | 2026 | Bought through the US government for about NOK 12 billion to replace the NH90 with the Maritime Helicopter Wing at Bardufoss, first for the Coast Guard and later for anti-submarine work.
MoreForsvaret first planned deliveries for 2025–2027; Teknisk Ukeblad later reported a one-year slip, with the first in 2026 and all six during 2027. Crews have trained with the Danish Seahawk squadron. Whether any had been delivered by September 2026 was not verified. |
Every type the Royal Norwegian Air Force has retired
18 types, from the Curtiss Hawk 75A-8 to the Lockheed P-3B, P-3N and P-3C Orion. Peak figures are airframes taken on charge over the whole service life, not fleet strength on any one date.
| Type | Role | Peak | Served | Replaced by | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lockheed P-3B, P-3N and P-3C Orion | Maritime patrol | 6 | 1969–2023 | P-8A Poseidon | Six at retirement (four P-3C and two P-3N). Eleven were received in all: five P-3B in 1968, two in 1980 and four P-3C in 1989–1990; two P-3Bs were converted to P-3N and five sold. | |
| Westland Sea King Mk 43 | Search and rescue helicopter | — | 1973–2023 | AW101 SAR Queen | Number UNVERIFIED in this run. | |
| General Dynamics / Fokker F-16A/B (MLU: F-16AM/BM) | Multirole fighter | 74 | 1980–2022 | F-35A | 74 delivered: 60 F-16A and 12 F-16B in 1980–1984, plus two F-16B attrition replacements (Store norske leksikon dates them 1987; an operators list says ordered 1989).
More57 remained at retirement. |
|
| NHIndustries NH90 NFH | Maritime helicopter (Coast Guard and frigates) | 14 | 2011–2022 | MH-60R Seahawk | 14 ordered in 2001; the number delivered by 2022 was not verified (six by January 2016). | |
| Dassault Falcon 20 | Electronic warfare and transport | 2 | 1972–2022 | P-8A (in part) | Two EW aircraft at retirement; the P-8 contract speaks of three Falcons being replaced. | |
| Northrop F-5A/B Freedom Fighter | Fighter-bomber, later trainer | 92 | 1966–2007 | F-16 | 92 acquired from 1966: 78 F-5A and 14 F-5B. | |
| Lockheed F-104G / TF-104G and Canadair CF-104 / CF-104D Starfighter | Fighter and fighter-bomber | 45 | 1963–1983 | F-16 | 23 F-104G (including five TF-104G two-seaters) from 1963 and 22 ex-Canadian CF-104s (three two-seaters) acquired in 1973. | |
| Grumman HU-16 Albatross | Maritime patrol amphibian | — | 1961–1969 | P-3B Orion | Number not verified. | |
| North American F-86F and F-86K Sabre | Day fighter and all-weather interceptor | 179 | 1955–1967 | F-104, F-5 | 115 F-86F (1957–1967) and 64 F-86K (1955–1967). | |
| Consolidated PBY Catalina | Maritime patrol flying boat | — | 1943–1961 | HU-16 Albatross | Number not verified. | |
| Republic F-84E/G Thunderjet | Fighter-bomber | 206 | 1951–1960 | F-86 | 206 delivered: six F-84E and 200 F-84G. | |
| de Havilland Vampire F.3, FB.52 and T.55 | Fighter and fighter-bomber | 62 | 1949–1957 | F-84 | 20 F.3 interceptors, 36 FB.52 fighter-bombers and six T.55 two-seat trainers. | |
| Supermarine Spitfire (wartime marks; post-war LF.IXe and PR.XI) | Fighter and reconnaissance | — | — | Vampire, F-84 | Numbers not verified. 331 and 332 Squadrons flew Spitfires in RAF service; the first Spitfire date is not verified. | |
| de Havilland Mosquito II and VI | Maritime strike and reconnaissance | — | 1943–1945 | — | Number not verified. | |
| Short Sunderland | Maritime patrol flying boat | — | 1943–1945 | — | Number not verified. | |
| Northrop N-3PB | Patrol floatplane | 24 | 1941–1943 | Sunderland | 24 ordered by the Norwegian government in exile. | |
| Gloster Gladiator | Biplane fighter | — | — | — | Seven combat-ready at Fornebu on 9 April 1940; the total bought was not verified. | |
| Curtiss Hawk 75A-8 | Fighter and trainer | 35 | 1940– | — | 35 ordered; used at Little Norway. |
Where the Royal Norwegian Air Force flies from
Every pin is an active air station. Bodø has lost its fighters and Andøya its maritime patrol aircraft, though both are still active, and 330 Squadron’s rescue helicopters fly from six bases along the coast, one of them the civil airport at Florø. The one closed entry, Little Norway, the wartime training camp in Canada, carries no pin.
| Base | ICAO | Status | Runway | Units and aircraft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ørland Air StationTrøndelag | ENOL | Active | 15/333,278 m |
|
| Andøya Air StationNordland | ENAN | Active | 14/321,989 masphalt/concrete |
|
| Banak Air Force BaseFinnmark | ENNA | Active | 16/342,785 masphalt/concrete |
|
| Bardufoss Air StationTroms | ENDU | Active | 10/282,995 m |
|
| Bodø Air Force BaseNordland | ENBO | Active | 07/252,794 masphalt/concrete |
|
| Evenes Air StationNordland | ENEV | Active | 17/352,812 m |
|
| Florø rescue helicopter baseVestland | ENFL | Active | 07/251,263 m |
|
| Gardermoen Air StationAkershus | ENGM | Active | 01L/19R3,600 masphalt/concrete01R/19L2,950 masphalt/concrete |
|
| KjellerAkershus | ENKJ | Active | 12/301,357 m |
|
| Rygge Air StationØstfold | ENRY | Active | 12/302,989 m |
|
| Sola Air Force BaseRogaland | ENZV | Active | 10/282,452 m18/362,705 m |
|
| Little NorwayOntario, Canada | Closed 1945 | — |
|
No air base matches that search.
Who is stationed where in the Royal Norwegian Air Force
Flying units by base, current units first. 330, 331, 332 and 333 Squadrons were the four Norwegian squadrons of the wartime RAF, and all four still fly. Allied units say so.
- 331 Squadron (331 skvadron)Fighter squadron · active
- F-35A Lightning II
- 332 Squadron (332 skvadron)Fighter squadron · active
- F-35A Lightning II
- TTT Squadron (TTT skvadron)Fighter squadron · active
- F-35A Lightning II
- 330 Squadron, Ørland detachmentSearch and rescue helicopter detachment · active
- AW101 SAR Queen
- NATO Airborne Early Warning forward operating locationAllied AEW&C forward operating location · allied
- E-3A Sentry
- 338 Squadron (338 skvadron)1954–2019
- F-84 Thunderjet, F-86F Sabre, Northrop F-5, F-16A/B Fighting Falcon
- 333 Squadron (333 skvadron)Maritime patrol squadron · active
- P-8A Poseidon
- F-35 quick reaction alert detachmentFighter detachment (QRA) · active
- F-35A Lightning II
- 330 Squadron, Bodø detachmentSearch and rescue helicopter detachment · active
- AW101 SAR Queen
- 331 Squadron (331 skvadron)1955–2022
- F-16A/B Fighting Falcon
- 337 Squadron (337 skvadron)Maritime (coast guard) helicopter squadron · active
- MH-60R Seahawk (on order)
- 336 Squadron (336 skvadron)Army support helicopter squadron · active
- Bell 412SP
- 339 Squadron, Bardufoss elementArmy support helicopter detachment · active
- Bell 412SP
- Air Force Flying School (Luftforsvarets flygeskole)Flying training school · active
- Saab Safari
- 339 Squadron SOAS (339 skvadron)Special operations aviation squadron · active
- Bell 412SP
- 330 Squadron, Rygge detachmentSearch and rescue helicopter detachment · active
- AW101 SAR Queen
- 335 Squadron (335 skvadron)Tactical transport squadron · active
- C-130J-30 Hercules
- 330 Squadron (330 skvadron)Search and rescue helicopter squadron (headquarters) · active
- AW101 SAR Queen
- AW101 Test and Evaluation SectionTest and evaluation unit · active
- AW101 SAR Queen
- 330 Squadron, Banak detachmentSearch and rescue helicopter detachment · active
- AW101 SAR Queen
- 330 Squadron, Florø detachmentSearch and rescue helicopter detachment · active
- AW101 SAR Queen
- 333 Squadron (333 skvadron)1963–2023
- P-3B/P-3C/P-3N Orion
- Army Air Service (Hærens flyvåpen)1912–1940
- —
No unit matches that search.
Royal Norwegian Air Force milestones, 1914 to today
The Army and the Navy each receive their first military aircraft, as gifts; the Army air arm settles at Kjeller.
The Storting formally organises Hærens flyvåpen, the Army Air Service.
26 March: first landing at Bardufoss, the northernmost military airfield before the war.
9 April: seven Gladiators of Jagevingen fight the German invasion over Fornebu. 10 June: the Norwegian campaign ends. 10 November: Little Norway opens on Toronto Island.
25 April: 330 Squadron forms on Iceland with Northrop N-3PBs. 21 July: 331 Squadron forms at Catterick.
16 January: 332 Squadron forms at Catterick. In May Little Norway moves to Muskoka.
10 May: 333 Squadron is formed, with Catalinas and Mosquitos.
10 November: the Army and Navy air arms merge into Luftforsvaret, a third service.
Norway co-founds NATO; the Vampire, first delivered in 1948, enters service as the first jet.
American aid begins the NATO build-up; the first of 206 F-84 Thunderjets arrive.
1 May: the U-2 shot down over the Soviet Union was bound for Bodø, Khrushchev reveals on 7 May.
The F-104G Starfighter enters service; 333 Squadron moves permanently to Andøya.
The first of 92 Northrop F-5s arrive.
25 April: 330 Squadron is re-formed with Sea King rescue helicopters.
15 January: the first Norwegian F-16 lands at Rygge.
Norwegian F-16s take part in NATO’s air campaign over Kosovo — the first combat since 1945.
The F-35A is chosen as the new fighter; 52 are later approved.
Six F-16s at Souda Bay fly against Libya from March to the end of July, dropping 569 to 588 bombs.
15 March: a C-130J crashes on Kebnekaise, killing five. The Storting decides to concentrate the fighters at Ørland with a QRA base at Evenes.
3 November: the first F-35As arrive at Ørland.
6 January: the F-35 takes over the alert at Evenes and the F-16 retires. 24 February: the first P-8 lands. June: the NH90 contract is terminated. 4 November: 32 F-16s sold to Romania.
30 June: the P-3 Orion retires and 333 Squadron moves to Evenes. November: the Sea King is replaced by the AW101.
June: F-35s use the reopened mountain hangars at Bardufoss. August: Maj Gen Øivind Gunnerud becomes Chief of the Air Force.
1 April: the 51st and 52nd F-35As are delivered, completing the fleet. June: the 16th AW101. November: settlement with NHIndustries over the NH90.
Every war the Royal Norwegian Air Force has fought
Sorties and losses where the record gives them, and an honest blank where it does not.
- The Norwegian campaign 1940 The Army and Navy air arms resisted the German invasion with a handful of modern aircraft, then evacuated to Britain
- 331 and 332 Squadrons in the RAF 1941–1945 Two Norwegian Spitfire squadrons flew in the RAF from bases in Scotland and England, including sweeps and escorts over occupied Europe
- 330 and 333 Squadrons: the maritime war 1941–1945 Two Norwegian squadrons flew anti-submarine patrols, convoy cover, shipping reconnaissance and special operations to occupied Norway
- The Cold War on the northern flank 1949–1991 Norwegian fighters and patrol aircraft watched NATO’s only border with the Soviet Union, intercepting Soviet aircraft and tracking the Northern Fleet
- Operation Allied Force 1999 Norwegian F-16s took part in NATO’s air campaign — the first Norwegian combat operation since the Second World War
Royal Norwegian Air Force news from Afterburner
Everything MiGFlug’s magazine has published on the Royal Norwegian Air Force and the aircraft it flies. This list refreshes itself — new Afterburner stories appear here automatically.
Everything people ask about the Royal Norwegian Air Force
What is the Royal Norwegian Air Force called in Norwegian?
What aircraft does the Royal Norwegian Air Force fly in 2026?
How many F-35s does Norway have?
When was the Royal Norwegian Air Force founded?
Who commands the Royal Norwegian Air Force?
Where is the Royal Norwegian Air Force headquartered?
Where are Norway’s F-35s based?
Why did Norway close Bodø as a fighter base?
When did Norway retire the F-16?
Did Norway give F-16s to Ukraine?
How many bombs did Norway drop in Libya in 2011?
What happened to Norway’s NH90 helicopters?
When will Norway get the MH-60R Seahawk?
What replaced the P-3 Orion in Norway?
What was Little Norway?
Which Norwegian squadrons fought in the RAF?
Did Norway fight the German invasion in the air in 1940?
What was the U-2 incident and why does it involve Bodø?
How often does Norway intercept Russian aircraft?
Did Norway fly the F-104 Starfighter?
Did Norway fly the F-5?
What was Norway’s first jet fighter?
Does Norway keep aircraft inside mountains?
What happened in the Kebnekaise Hercules crash?
Who flies Norway’s rescue helicopters?
How many people serve in the Royal Norwegian Air Force?
How big is Norway’s defence budget?
Read the aircraft the Royal Norwegian Air Force flew
Every type with a page in the Book of Beasts, in service first, then by the year it left the fleet.
Every fact, checked
- Store norske leksikon: Luftforsvaret (Ole Jørgen Maaø, Forsvarets høgskole; updated 7 August 2026)Founded 10 November 1944; predecessors since 1912; exile squadrons; renamed Flyvåpnet 1953 and Luftforsvaret 1959; slightly over 3,500 personnel; chief Maj Gen Øivind Gunnerud since August 2024; 52 F-35, 5 P-8, 16 AW101, 4 C-130J, 18 Bell 412; air force budget 2026 nearly NOK 10 billion; five air wings
- Forsvaret: The Air Force (English organisation page)Chief of the Air Force based at Rygge; 2021 figures: 4,405 personnel, NOK 9.17 billion, 12,740 hours flown; restructuring through the 2020s
- Forsvaret: Luftforsvaret (organisation page)Air wings 130, 132, 133 and 134; 331, 332 and TTT at Ørland; 339 SOAS; 337 at Bardufoss; C-17 shared ownership
- Regjeringen: Ministry of Defence (Forsvarsdepartementet)Minister of Defence Tore O. Sandvik (Labour); news items to July 2026
- Store norske leksikon: F-35 Lightning IIStorting preparation 2001, F-35A chosen 2008; 52 aircraft at a 2015-price of NOK 68 billion; first at Ørland 3 November 2017; last delivered April 2025
- Lockheed Martin: Norway becomes first F-35 partner nation to fulfil its program of record (1 April 2025)51st and 52nd F-35A delivered 1 April 2025; Minister of Defence Tore O. Sandvik
- Janes: Norway retires F-16 as F-35 takes on national air defence (6 January 2022)F-16 retired after 42 years; QRA moved from Bodø to Evenes with two F-35As at 15 minutes’ readiness; 57 F-16s remained
- Store norske leksikon: F-1674 delivered: 60 F-16A and 12 F-16B 1980–1984, two F-16B in 1987; chosen 1975; Kosovo 1999, Afghanistan 2002–2006; Libya 583 sorties and 569 bombs; phased out January 2022
- Regjeringen: Norway has delivered the first F-16 fighter jets to Romania (1 December 2023)32 F-16s sold; first three handed over at Rygge; deliveries 2024–2025; Minister Bjørn Arild Gram
- Store norske leksikon: F-104 Starfighter23 F-104G (incl. five TF-104G) and 22 Canadair CF-104 (incl. three two-seaters), 45 in all; service 1963–1983; CF-104s acquired 1973; replaced by the F-16
- Store norske leksikon: F-5 Freedom Fighter92 acquired from 1966, 78 F-5A and 14 F-5B; last squadron disbanded 2000; test use to 2007
- Store norske leksikon: F-84 ThunderjetFirst Thunderjets 1951; 206 delivered, six F-84E and 200 F-84G; last in use 1960
- Store norske leksikon: F-86 Sabre115 F-86F 1957–1967 and 64 F-86K 1955–1967
- Store norske leksikon: VampireFirst jet of the Luftforsvaret; delivered from 1948, in use from 1949 to 1957; 20 F.3, 36 FB.52, six T.55
- Store norske leksikon: SpitfireNorwegian fighter squadrons flew Spitfires in the war; LF.IXe and PR.XI in Luftforsvaret service until 1954
- Store norske leksikon: P-3 OrionFive P-3B delivered 1968, two more 1980; two converted to P-3N 1989, five sold, four P-3C 1989–1990; six from 1990; 333 Squadron 1969–2023; phased out end of June 2023
- Regjeringen: Norway has signed a contract for five new P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraftFive P-8A, about NOK 10 billion, deliveries 2022–2023, replacing six P-3 Orions and three Falcons; Minister Ine Eriksen Søreide
- Forsvaret: Kjøper maritime helikoptre (MH-60R press release)Six MH-60R, about NOK 12 billion, planned 2025–2027, replacing the NH90 grounded in June 2022; Maritime Helicopter Wing, Bardufoss; 17 personnel trained in Denmark
- Forsvaret: Alle 16 SAR Queen er nå i driftLast of 16 AW101 SAR Queens delivered June 2025; six rescue bases; event of 27–28 August 2025 with Maj Gen Øivind Gunnerud as Chief of the Air Force
- FlightGlobal: Norway retires electronic warfare-roled Falcon 20s after 50 years of service (11 October 2022)Two Falcon 20 EW aircraft retired, in service since 1972
- Store norske leksikon: Saab Safari20 bought from 1981; 16 remain at the flying school, Bardufoss
- Store norske leksikon: Kebnekaise15 March 2012: a Norwegian Hercules crashed near the summit; five killed
- Store norske leksikon: Hærens flyvåpenCreated 1912 at Kjeller, formalised by the Storting 1913; seven combat-ready Gladiators at Fornebu 9 April 1940; 362 pilots trained by 1940; merged 10 November 1944
- Store norske leksikon: Little NorwayOpened 10 November 1940 on Toronto Island; Muskoka from May 1942; about 700 staff and trainees at any time; pilot training to Winkleigh, Devon, in autumn 1944; November 1940 to August 1945
- Store norske leksikon: 330 skvadronFormed 25 April 1941 on Iceland; N-3PB, first operational sortie 23 June 1941; Sunderlands operational 17 April 1943; re-formed 25 April 1973 with Sea King; Sea King to November 2023; AW101 at six bases; 16 AW101 owned by the Ministry of Justice
- Forsvaret: Iceland Air PolicingEight Norwegian deployments; four F-35s at Keflavík January–February 2024; first F-35 rotation 2020; Lithuania 2015 with F-16s; NATO Iceland air policing since 2008
- Regjeringen: The Norwegian Defence Pledge (Prop. 87 S (2023–2024), long-term defence plan 2025–2036)Published 5 April 2024; totals are in the downloadable proposition, not the page text
- Forsvaret: Ørland flystasjon132 Air Wing; 331, 332 and TTT Squadrons; three AW101s of 330 Squadron; all 52 F-35s received
- Forsvaret: Evenes flystasjon133 Air Wing; five P-8s; QRA taken over from Bodø in January 2022, two F-35s airborne within 15 minutes
- Forsvaret: Bardufoss garnisonMaritime Helicopter Wing, 337 Squadron, three Bell 412SPs of 339 Squadron, flying school with Saab Safari, Seahawk planned
- Forsvaret: Bodø og ReitanLuftforsvarets base Bodø, CAOC Bodø, rescue helicopter service
- Forsvaret: Gardermoen335 Squadron, C-130J Hercules
- Forsvaret: Luftforsvarets base Sola130 Air Wing, 330 Squadron, AW101 at Sola from September 2020
- Forsvaret: Rygge flystasjon134 Air Wing HQ, 339 SOAS with Bell 412, 330 Squadron detachment
- Forsvaret: Andøya flystasjonFuture base for long-range drones; support for Andøya Space
- Forsvaret: Luftforsvarets base Banak330 Squadron AW101 detachment; new hangar 2019
- Forsvaret: Norway’s first P-8 Poseidon landed at Evenes (24 February 2022)First P-8, named Viking; five ordered; 333 Squadron
- Teknisk Ukeblad: Nye Seahawk-helikoptre til Forsvaret blir forsinketFirst deliveries 2026, all six during 2027
- BFO: Vinner tid med samarbeid337 Squadron after the NH90 cancellation; training with the Danish Seahawk squadron
- NATO Allied Air Command: F-35s use the mountain hangars at Bardufoss (June 2024)F-35s used the Bardufoss mountain hangars in mid-June 2024 after 40 years of deactivation
- Teknisk Ukeblad: Nå flytter samtlige F-16 nordover338 Squadron at Ørland disbanded 1 April 2019 after arriving from Sola in 1954; F-16s to 331 Squadron at Bodø
- Teknisk Ukeblad: F-16 havner på norske museer allerede i år72 F-16s in the original buy; the first landed at Rygge on 15 January 1980
- Teknisk Ukeblad: Fra sovende i senga til supersonisk på et kvarterQRA moving from Bodø to Evenes from the new year 2022; 15-minute readiness
- Foreign Relations of the United States 1958–1960, vol. X part 1, document 147Khrushchev’s speech of 7 May 1960: Powers’s landing destination was Bodø airfield
- Store norske leksikon: Ørland hovedflystasjon2012 Storting decision; first F-35s 2017; NATO AEW forward operating location
- Store norske leksikon: Bodø hovedflystasjonClosed 2022 after the 2012 Storting decision; 330 detachment since 1973; renamed 2016
- Store norske leksikon: Evenes flystasjonCivil airport opened 1973, air station inaugurated 1985
- Store norske leksikon: Bardufoss flystasjonHistory from 1938; NH90 termination 2022; Seahawk
- Store norske leksikon: Rygge flystasjonBuilt 1952–1953; fighter squadron until 2002; civil airport 2007–2016
- Store norske leksikon: Gardermoen flystasjonNew air station opened 1996; four C-130s
- Store norske leksikon: Andøya flystasjonBuilt from 1952; 333 Squadron from January 1963; P-3 until 30 June 2023; closure vote November 2016
- AIP Norge, AD 2 aerodrome data (AIRAC effective 3 September 2026, AIP AMDT 05/2026)Avinor; aerodrome reference points, elevations, runway designators, lengths and surfaces for ENOL, ENEV, ENBO, ENDU, ENRY, ENGM, ENZV, ENNA, ENFL, ENAN and ENKJ. Elevations converted from feet and rounded to the metre; runway lengths are the AD 2.12 physical dimensions.
- Store norske leksikon: Bardufoss lufthavn (updated 10 February 2026)Site chosen 1935; first landing 26 March 1938
- Store norske leksikon: Stavanger lufthavn, Sola (updated 11 August 2025)Opened 29 May 1937; 9 April 1940; 334 Squadron from 1949
- Store norske leksikon: Luftforsvarets base Banak (updated 10 June 2026)Field airstrip 1938; German expansion 1941–1942
- Store norske leksikon: Kjeller flyplass (updated 8 April 2025)Established 1912; wind-down decisions 2016 and 2024
- Forsvarets forum: F-35 har overtatt QRA-beredskapen på Evenes (7 January 2022)Last F-16 alert take-off on Thursday 6 January 2022; quotes from Yngve Odlo, Rolf Folland and Tron Strand.
- Store norske leksikon: Andøya lufthavn, Andenes (Lars Engerengen; updated 14 April 2025)1951 NATO proposal, 1952 Storting authorisation, 1957 opening, first civil flight 2 April 1964, crosswind runway 1968–2015, elevation 13 m, passenger figures, Widerøe from 1972.
- The Aviationist: new CAOC opened in Norway (Kai Greet, 11 October 2025)CAOC Bodø inaugurated on 10 October 2025; first commander Maj Gen Tron Strand; initially at Bodø air station, later to move to the Reitan mountain facility.
- Forsvarets forum: Andøya blir base for langtrekkende droner (Mathias Brandt, 3 April 2024)Closure reversed; Andøya to be the base for long-range drones.
- Forsvarets forum: Skroter nasjonale langtrekkende droner (Angelica Merkesvik Skatvedt, 27 March 2026)National long-range drones cancelled in the revised long-term plan; UK MQ-9B training cooperation; quotes from the mayor and the Chief of Defence.
- Forsvarets forum: Nato-senteret i Bodø har åpnet: Utelukker ikke å vrake Reitan (Mathias Brandt, 10 October 2025)CAOC operational from 1 October 2025 in renovated buildings at the air station; defence minister Tore O. Sandvik leaves open whether it moves to Reitan; Chief of the Air Force Øivind Gunnerud present.
- Forsvarets forum: Reagerer på mulig Reitan-vraking (Mathias Brandt, 15 October 2025)Conservative MP Tage Pettersen criticises the possible abandonment of Reitan; Aftenposten figure of several billion kroner above a NOK 9.4 billion maximum estimate.
Figures verified 2026-09-28. Order of Battle pages are regenerated from a single dataset; if a number here disagrees with a Book of Beasts page, this page is the more recent of the two.
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