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The Royal Norwegian Air Force (or '''RNoAF''') is the youngest branch of the Norwegian armed forces. Established in 1944, it has a peacetime strength of about 1,850 .After a Mobilisation , the total force will be around 5,500 soldiers. The infrastructure of the RNoAF includes seven Airbase s (at Andøya , Bardufoss , Bodø , Gardermoen , Rygge , Sola and Ørland ), two control and reporting centres (at Gråkallen and Mågerø ) and two training centres (at Kjevik and Kuhaugen in Trondheim ). The RNoAF is organized in six Air Wings. These are divided into a total of nine squadrons of planes as well as two anti aircraft units. The operational force consists of 57 F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft, six NASAMS (Norwegian Advanced Surface To Air Missile System ) batteries, 12 Sea King rescue Helicopter s, 6 P-3 Orion maritime surveillance aircraft, 6 Hercules transport aircraft, 6 Lynx helicopters, 18 Bell 412SP helicopters, 3 DHC-6 Twin Otter 100/200 light transport, 2 Dassault Falcon 20 EW , 1 Dassault Falcon 20 VIP plane and 15 Saab Safari training planes. The RNoAF will conduct several investments in the coming years. First the European helicopter NH-90 will be added to the fleet. During a five year period the Government will also decide the future of the transport aircraft fleet, and decide which new fighter aircraft to buy in 2010. Concerning the fighter aircraft the main competition is between the European Eurofighter and the American F-35 Joint Strike Fighter with SAAB JAS 39 Gripen and Dassault Rafale still not being ruled out. HISTORY Military flights started in 1912 . The first plane, ''Start'', was bought with money donated by the public and piloted by an Officer from the Submarine HNoMS ''Kobben'' (A-1). Up until 1940 most of the aircraft belonging to the Navy and Army air forces were domestic designs or built under license agreements. In the late 30s more modern aircraft was bought from abroad, including 12 Gloster Gladiator fighters from the UK, and 6 Heinkel He 115 . Considerable orders for aircraft were placed with U.S. companies during the months prior to the invasion of Norway on April 9th , 1940 . When war broke out, only a few aircraft had been delivered. The unequal situation led to the rapid defeat of the Norwegian air forces, even though seven Gladiators from Jagervingen (the fighter wing) defended Fornebu against the attacking German forces with some success - claiming two Me 110 heavy fighters, two He 111 bombers and a Junkers Ju 52 transport. Jagervingen lost two Gladiators to ground strafing while they were rearming on Fornebu and one in the air, shot down by Future ''Experte'' Helmut Lent , injuring the sergeant pilot. After the withdrawal of allied forces, the Norwegian Government gave up fighting in Norway and fled to Great Britain on June 10 , 1940. Only aircraft of the Norwegian Naval Airforce had the range to fly all the way from their last remaining bases in Northern Norway to the UK. Included amongst the Norwegian aircraft that reached the British Isles were a number of German made Heinkel He 115 seaplane bombers, some bought before the war and two captured from the Germans during the Norwegian Campaign . A captured Arado Ar 196 originating from the German Heavy Cruiser Admiral Hipper was also flown to Britain for testing. The Army and Navy air forces established themselves in Britain under the command of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Norwegian air and ground crews operated as part of the British government. In the autumn of 1940, a Norwegian training center known as "Little Norway" was established in RCAF Station Borden outside of Toronto , Canada . The Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) was established by a Royal Decree on November 1 , 1944 , thereby merging the Army and Navy air forces. 331 (Norwegian) Squadron defended London from 1941 and was the highest scoring fighter Squadron in South England during the war. Up until May 8 , 1945 , 335 persons had lost their lives while taking part in the efforts of the RNoAF. After the war the Spitfire remained in service with them into the fifties. In 1947 , the Surveillance and Control Division acquired its first radar system, and around the same time the RNoAF got its first Jet Fighter s in the form of De Havilland Vampire s. In 1949 Norway joined NATO , and quite soon received American aircraft through the MAP (Military Aid Program). In 1959 , the Anti-Aircraft Artillery was integrated into the Royal Norwegian Air Force. s and 2 AIM-9 Sidewinder s. The Norwegian F-16s were the first to be equipped with braking parachutes (located in the rectangular extension at the base of the tail fin).]] ORGANISATION Bodø Main Air Station
Ørland Main Air Station
Andøya Air Station
Bardufoss Air Station
Gardermoen Air Station
Rygge Air Station
Sola Air Station SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS
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