April 24
2024
at
10:33
Defenstopp wants to have a NATO air center in Norway
The defense alliance Nato will establish an air center to monitor the airspace in the northern regions.
There is a so-called “Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC)” to be established to support NATO’s command center in Norfolk, USA.
Chief of the Air Force, Rolf Folland, believes it is natural that the center can remain in Norway due to geography.
– We have that position when it comes to bringing Sweden and Finland into NATO countries and processes on the command and control side. So it is not very surprising that we are being pointed at, he says to Forsvarets Forum.
In addition, Norway has a national air operations centre, after merging several separate units.
This is located in several places in Norway; in Sørreisa, at Reitan and at Rygge.
– Now our national JAOC will hopefully become the stem of a larger NATO air command on the Northern Flank and integrated with air operations centers in Sweden, Finland and Denmark. This gives us toughness and robustness. The solution is very good, and I think Nato also sees that, says Folland to Forsvarets Forum.
The decision on where the air center will be located will probably be taken before the summer, says Folland.
