Summary and Key Points: Norway reactivated Bardufoss Air Station, a mountain base with hangars inside a mountain, to house the Royal Norwegian Air Force's F-35A Lightning II fighters.

-Upgraded for increased aircraft operability and survivability, the base supports NATO's Agile Combat Employment concept.

-With rising security concerns due to Russia and the Ukraine conflict, Bardufoss enhances Norway's air defense capabilities. The main F-35 base remains Ørland Air Station, with full operational capability expected by 2025.

Norway Reactivates Mountain Base for F-35 Fighters Amid Rising Security Concerns

It isn't clear if the Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) has an official musical "theme" – but if it doesn't, we'll be the first to recommend it chose "In the Hall of the Mountain King" by Norwegian composer Edvard Hagerup Grieg (1843-1907).  It would be fitting as Norway reactivated a mothballed mountain base this month that is now home to the RoNAF's Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II fifth-generation fighters.

The Bardufoss Air Station is noted for having aircraft hangars and facilities literally located within a mountain, and the base was reactivated to help increase the survivability of the RoNAF's fleet of warplanes.

According to a statement from NATO, the base was first constructed in 1938, and its mountain hanger recently received structural and equipment upgrades that will increase the operability of the aircraft housed at it. Based on the photos that circulated online, the facility has almost a James Bond super-villain vibe to it – as the hanger facilities were carved into the rock.

A Mountain Hall For the King of Fighters

The reactivation of Bardufoss Air Station could further lead to increased Norwegian and NATO fighter activity in Northern Norway and the Arctic – and it comes as Russia has been increasingly focused on expanding its presence in the region.

"Bardufoss Air Station plays an important role in the further development of Norwegian, Nordic and Allied Air Power," explained Brigadier General Tron Strand, head of the Joint Air Operations Centre (JAOC) via the NATO release. "NATO is very focused on the Nations' ability to disperse and quickly move air forces through the development of the Agile Combat Employment or ACE concept."

Strand further stated that the "deteriorating security policy situation and the war in Ukraine" were motivating factors that spurred Oslo to consider where its fleet of stealth fighters could be housed. Though a capable aircraft in the air; the F-35 is as vulnerable as any other plane while 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 continued. "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 suggested that the RoNAF could use the mountain facilities to provide added protection to the F-35 and other aircraft.

"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," stated Strand.

It is unclear how many aircraft will be stationed at the facility at Bardufoss, while Ørland Air Station will remain Norway's main F-35 base. Norway is a Tier 3 partner in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program and is on track to see its F-35 fleet become fully operational in 2025 when Oslo is expected to have received all of its 52 F-35 Lightning II aircraft.

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].

Image Credit: Creative Commons.