F-35 Takes Over QRA Mission from F-16
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Thursday 6 January 2022 was a historic day for the Royal Norwegian Air Force. On this day, Norway鈥檚 new F-35s officially took over the QRA mission, ending the F-16 fleet鈥檚 42 year-long mission serving Norway and NATO.
The formal transfer of authority from F-16 to F-35 took place at Evenes Air Base in northern Norway at 11:45 on Thursday 6 January 2022.
Due to heavy snowfall and low visibilty, the original programme was shortened. However, the event was still a historical milestone for the Norwegian Armed Forces and the Royal Norwegian Air Force.
鈥淔-35 has now received the baton from F-16, continuing to keep a constant guard. I sense a great pride today. The introduction of the new fighter jets has been a great success, thanks to our passionate and talented personnel and partners鈥, says Major General Rolf Folland, Chief of the Royal Norwegian Air Force.
The QRA Mission
For the past decades, Norway鈥檚 fleet of F-16s has carried out the Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) on behalf of NATO from Bod酶 Air Base in northern Norway. Now, the F-35s handle this mission from Evenes Air Base a little further north. Evenes is currently under development and construction to house both F-35s and the coming fleet of P-8 Poseidon Maritime Patrolling Aircraft.
Norway conducts the QRA mission on behalf of NATO. This means that Norway continuously has to fighter jets on standby at all times. If unknown aircraft come close to Norwegian 鈥 and NATO 鈥撀燼irspace, the F-35s are scrambled and airborne within 15 minutes. Then they find, observe and document any unknown aircraft that come close to Norway and NATO airspace.
The History of Norway鈥檚 F-35s
I 1980, Norway started operating its fleet of F-16s, and this fleet has now retired. In the 2010s, Norway decided to replace the F-16 fleet with a fleet of 52 new F-35A fighter jets.
In 2015, Norwegian personnel consisting of pilots and technicians arrived at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona, USA. From there, they started educating both pilots and technical personnel to operate the new fighter jets.
The first Norwegian F-35聽聽in November 2017 at 脴rland Air Base, central Norway. The F-35 organisation immediately started a series of operational testing and evaluations.
The F-35 fleet has its home base at 脴rland, but some of the F-35s will be based at Evenes to conduct the QRA mission. The F-35 system and organisation have also served in two international missions 鈥撀.
Evenes Air Base
Evenes Air Base is located along the border of Nordland County and Troms and Finnmark County in northern Norway. Evenes is will be the Air Force鈥檚 most significant base in the north, serving as a complex base for the F-35, in addition to being the main base for the coming fleet of P-8 Poseidons.
The F-35 and P-8 are among the most important capacities in the defence of Norway. Evenes Air Base also has an air defence battalion and a force protection squadron 鈥撀爏eving together with the base鈥檚 own base defece. Multiple support functions have additionally been established. By 2025, about 500 employees and 300 conscripts will be working at the airport.
The Norwegian fleet of 52 F-35s will be complete and fully operational by 2025.
