Nordic air power
44 // September 2019 #378Norway’s air defences
Restructuring
WhileintroductionoftheF-35A
representsthemostimportantelementin themodernisationof
Norway’sairarm,changeswithinairbornesurveillance,searchand
rescue andother rotarycomponentsarehelpingtoredefineitsfuture
shapeandcapability,asIanHardingandKevinWillsdiscover.1: C-130J-30 serial 5607 on manoeuvres in one
of the UK’s low-fl ying areas during a deployment
to RAF Kinloss, Scotland. The RNoAF’s airlift
capabilities reside within 335 Skvadron at Oslo/
Gardermoen. Four Hercules are on strength, the
most recent being an attrition example delivered
to Norway in October 2012. Ian Harding 2: RNoAF
Orion serial 3297 taxiing out at Andøya during
Exercise Dynamic Mongoose. Named ‘Jøssing’,
this aircraft is one of four P-3C variants active
with 333 Skvadron at the base. Considering
Norwegian geography, it’s easy to understand
why maritime operations have always been an
important task for the air force – Norway’s sea
territory is seven times larger than that of its land.
Stian Roen/Forsvaret 3: The F-35A is the centrepiece
of the RNoAF’s modernisation drive. These two
jets, serials 5149 and 5150, were among the
fi rst three Lightning IIs to arrive in the country,
delivered to Ørland in November 2017. Norway
intends to acquire 52 F-35As with deliveries
planned to continue at a rate of six aircraft per
year through to 2024. MortenHanche/Forsvaret12http://www.airforcesmonthly.com44-48 NorwayRestructures AFM Sep2019.indd 44 8/5/2019 9:46:21 AM