RoNAF F-35 takes over QRA from F-16

Today Norway switched QRA from F-16 to F-35. $0 years of F-16 history in Norway is over.

https://www-forsvaret-no.translate.goog/aktuelt-og-presse/aktuelt/f-35-qra?_x_tr_sl=no&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-US

So, the day has come - and as I raise a glass for 40+ years of service - passed.

The Norwegian Viper has flown it's last operational mission, and Bodø MAB is closing military operations. Ørland is rolling along as it should, and Evenes is getting fighters permanently again. Out with the old, in with the new.

I was little more than a wee lad the first time I saw one of these wonderful new birds, flying only because the computer told it to. Accompanied by a CF-104, there was little doubt about it's abilities as the pilot pulled hard across a 180 turn, leaving the poor old Starfighter to fly halfway across the country to keep up. The memory itself is getting faint, but the admiration remains.

In those days, the leap in performance, computing power and innovation that was delivered was enormous.

No other airplane can match the looks of the Viper. Especially the Norwegian all-36270 ones. But the leap forward is as big today as it was then.

On and upwards!





(Photo Credit: Luftforsvaret)

F-35 Takes Over QRA Mission from F-16
06 Jan 2022 Norwegian MoD

"Thursday 6 January 2022 was a historic day for the Royal Norwegian Air Force. On this day, Norway’s new F-35s officially took over the QRA mission, ending the F-16 fleet’s 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....

...The QRA Mission
For the past decades, Norway’s fleet of F-16s has carried out the Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) on behalf of NATO from Bodø 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 – and NATO – airspace, 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...." [more at the URL]

Source: https://www.f35.com/f35/news-and-featur ... m-f16.html

Perhaps one of our Norwegian members can shed light on why F-35's are being stationed at Evenes? That is, why close Bodø Air Base when Evenes is ever further north? For example, would it have cost to much to upgrade/update Bodø? Or can only Evenes handle the P-8? A Google Earth view of both locations seemed to reveal a large number (35+) of hardened tactical aircraft shelters at each location, so I'm scratching my head a little. TIA.

Perhaps one of our Norwegian members can shed light on why F-35's are being stationed at Evenes? That is, why close Bodø Air Base when Evenes is ever further north? For example, would it have cost to much to upgrade/update Bodø? Or can only Evenes handle the P-8? A Google Earth view of both locations seemed to reveal a large number (35+) of hardened tactical aircraft shelters at each location, so I'm scratching my head a little. TIA.

Only God and a few politicians knows, and neither are telling.

Perhaps one of our Norwegian members can shed light on why F-35's are being stationed at Evenes? That is, why close Bodø Air Base when Evenes is ever further north? For example, would it have cost to much to upgrade/update Bodø? Or can only Evenes handle the P-8? A Google Earth view of both locations seemed to reveal a large number (35+) of hardened tactical aircraft shelters at each location, so I'm scratching my head a little. TIA.

Only God and a few politicians knows, and neither are telling.

Bodø Air Base are more or less inside Bodø city, and even at Evenes they complain about the noise from the F-35 already.
So it's not that strange to move away from Bodø, but what I don't undertand is why they move the P-8 from Andøya to Evenes.
But as you say - politics are hard to understand from time to time.

The proximity to the city is a good argument for not having a mil base. Then there is the need for the city to expand. They're even planning to move the now civ runway a few hundred meters...

On 6 January 2022, the Luftforsvaret (RNoAF, Royal Norwegian Air Force) F-35A Lightning II officially took over the Quick Reaction Alert (GRA) mission from the F-16AM/BM Fighting Falcon.

[...]

https://www.scramble.nl/military-news/f ... -from-f-16

January 7th

Under clear skies today, two F-35s took off from Evenes Air Station for the first time on sharp alert. With this, a new chapter is written into the history books for the Air Force and the new base in the north.

All images property of https://www.forsvaret.no/

This isn't possible, that snow is obviously fake in the background. The F-35 is not suitable for the artic.
https://cqegheiulaval.com/why-canada-do ... -the-f-35/

Fake snow fake news.

This isn't possible, that snow is obviously fake in the background. The F-35 is not suitable for the artic.
https://cqegheiulaval.com/why-canada-do ... -the-f-35/

Fake snow fake news.

^ this