Air Power 2017

PARTNER PERSPECTIVES

21 ST CENTURY PARTNERSHIPS AIR POWER 2017 33

The newly appointed

Chief of the Royal

Norwegian Air Force

offers a partner’s

perspective on the close

relationship enjoyed by

the United Kingdom’s

Royal Air Force (RAF)

and the RNORAF

HOW IMPORTANT ARE THE
RNORAF’S RELATIONSHIPS
WITH PARTNER AIR FORCES,
BOTH WITHIN NATO AND
B E YO N D NATO?
Very important. NATO is the cornerstone
of Norwegian defence and security
policy. Consequently, we need to be
interoperable with our allies in terms of
technology, operational procedures and
mind-sets. We also have cross-border
training and exercises with Sweden
and Finland, as well as cooperation and
regular discussions on other air power
topics. We operate in various coalitions
‘out of area.’ To be successful we need
to work constantly on strengthening
relationships with like-minded nations so
that we understand and trust each other.

WHAT SORT OF PARTNERSHIP
DOES THE RNORAF ENJOY
WITH THE UK’S RAF?
The relationship between the United
Kingdom and Norway is strong. We share
the same values. We had Norwegian
airmen operating with the RAF in
World War II and when we formed our
own independent air service it was, to
a large degree, modelled on the RAF.
More recently, we operated together
in Operation Allied Force (1999) and
Operation Unified Protector (2011). We
have regular staff talks and visits. We fly
together in numerous exercises every year.

US Navy out of Keflavik in Iceland and the

RNORAF out of Northern Norway. This will

be a significant cooperation politically and

militarily. The combination of investments

in F-35s and P-8s by both our countries

will open up a ‘new era’ of cooperation

for our air forces. Our bilateral cooperation

will, in turn, strengthen the Alliance.

HOW WILL THESE PARTNERSHIPS

EVOLVE THROUGHOUT THE

21 ST CENTURY?

We will follow the vision of ‘stronger

together’. We are going to work together

in developing fifth-generation air forces.

One thing is to get fifth-generation aircraft

(technology); the greater challenge is to

transform our organisation, conceptual

thinking, and people into a proper

fifth-generation service. We have to

better understand the role of air power

in the new security era, with all the

opportunities that accompany this change.

The F-35 truly is a game-changer:

it is not an incremental improvement

on the F-16. Air Power’s contribution

to joint operations will be even more

important in the future. Therefore,

integration and interoperability across

domains, with close allies, is crucial for

the future success of our air forces. We

will do our part to be a credible and

capable ally; past, present and future.

HOW DOES THE RNORAF

COOPERATE WITH THE RAF IN

TRACKING AND INTERCEPTING

INTRUDING RUSSIAN AIRCRAFT?

Our F-16s are on Quick Reaction Alert

to safeguard Norwegian airspace and

NATO’s northern flank. We intercept

Russian aircraft regularly, as does the

RAF. We exchange information, we share

lessons and we cooperate on how best

to defend our airspaces individually and

collectively. Both our air forces follow

the policy of transparent, predictable

and accountable actions in the air, based

on international laws and regulations.

HOW WILL THE RAF/RNORAF

PARTNERSHIP BE ENHANCED

WHEN THE RNORAF STARTS

OPERATING THE F-35A?

Both of our air forces will soon operate

a substantial number of F-35s. We are

planning to have 52 fully operational

by 2025. We will find ways to train,

exercise and operate together. We will

consider how to exploit the potential for

cooperation on simulators, maintenance,

logistics and upgrades. We will also

work on doctrine, procedures and find

ways to exchange lessons learned.

To me it is a question of partnering

up on ‘body, mind and soul’; that is,

fighting power, thinking power and

staying power. We need to engage

in all aspects of that triangle, not

only on matters of hardware.

WHAT WILL THE RECENT

COOPERATION AGREEMENT

ON P-8A BETWEEN UK AND

NORWAY DELIVER?

The P-8 is a very capable maritime patrol

aircraft and we will be training, exercising

and operating together. We will both

operate with the US Navy. Given the new

geostrategic importance of the North

Atlantic, we will look at the trinity of the

RAF operating out of Lossiemouth, the

MAJOR GENERAL TONJE SKINNARLAND

Chief of the Royal Norwegian Air Force (CRNORAF)