The Royal Norwegian Air Force has reactivated Bardufoss Mountain Air Station to house its F-35 fighter jets, utilising the natural protection of mountain hangars to enhance aircraft survivability, according to a NATO press release.
Bardufoss Air Station, deactivated for the past 40 years, has been upgraded with structural and equipment improvements to support air operations.
Brigadier Tron Strand, head of the Norwegian Joint Air Operations Centre (JAOC), emphasised the strategic importance of Bardufoss, stating, “Bardufoss Air Station plays an important role in the further development of Norwegian, Nordic and Allied Air Power.”
He explained that NATO is focused on the ability of nations to disperse and quickly mobilise air forces through the Agile Combat Employment (ACE) concept.
“The deteriorating security policy situation and the war in Ukraine mean that the Air Force must become sharper. Powerful stealth fighters are not enough. In a war situation, the planes are vulnerable on the ground. On the one hand, we are significantly increasing air defence for Evenes and Ørland Air Base – this is part of our long-term planning,” Brigadier General Strand said.
“On the other, the Air Force must be able to disperse its combat aircraft and operate out of several other airports and air stations, both in Norway and the Nordic countries if a crisis or war so requires.”
He further elaborated on the necessity of utilising available mountain facilities for protection, stating, “Within the framework of Norway’s national operational distribution concept, we are using the entire air station at Bardufoss. First and foremost, this is about being prepared and in the long term, this may involve more national and Allied activity here.”
Colonel Eirik Stueland, commander of 131 Air Wing, highlighted the dual role of Bardufoss as both a military and civilian airport, making it well-suited for the operational distribution concept. “The whole idea of dispersal of capabilities is to be able to use all available airports throughout the Nordic region; at Bardufoss, due to the existing infrastructure, we will also be able to play a larger role in an initial mobilisation phase,” he said, adding that the mountain facility could also support Allied deployments.
Bardufoss Air Station, Norway’s oldest operating air station since its opening in 1938, is a key part of NATO’s ACE concept, which aims to strengthen the resilience and survivability of Allied air operations by combining existing air bases with temporary operational bases to generate combat air power through resource dispersal.