according to The Defense Forum Nato is considering several places in Northern Europe for such an advanced operating base for the 15-metre-long drones, which have a wingspan of as much as 40 metres, and Norway is therefore one of the options.
This appeared in the government’s proposal for the national budget, which was presented almost two weeks ago.
– Norway is one of several possible countries for such a base. A clarification of both where the base for AGS (the NATO program Alliance Ground Surveillance, editor’s note) maritime capacity will be located and which nations will participate in the acquisition of more drones is ongoing in NATO, writes press officer Marita Isaken Wangberg in the Ministry of Defense in an email to the Defense Forum.
Such a base is considered to strengthen NATO’s surveillance capacity in the northern regions, reduce flight time and send a strategic signal. It is expected that a decision will be made within a couple of years.
Norway is already planning to acquire long-range drones for maritime surveillance.
– A possible Norwegian participation in this NATO initiative will be seen in the context of national plans in the long-term plan to acquire long-range drones, writes Wangberg.
It is already clear that the long-range drones of the future, which will eventually become part of Norway’s defence, will be based on Andøya. An advanced base will probably also be added to the previously approved decommissioned base in Nordland, writes the Defense Forum.
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