Bodø’s new airport could become key military hub for Norway and NATO

High North News reports that Bodø’s new airport, currently under construction in Norway, may play a significant role in the country’s future military operations. The Norwegian Ministry of Defense has secured options in Avinor’s development plans to ensure the facility can support military needs if required. Bodø is seen as holding strategic importance as a defense hub due to its location and potential to host allied forces during both peacetime exercises and potential crises.

• The Ministry of Defense has planned access to aircraft shelters and reinforced parking areas at the new airport to accommodate heavy transport and tanker aircraft.
• Defense Minister Bjørn Arild Gram emphasized the necessity of allied cooperation, stating, “Norway will need allied help in crisis and war. The allied and regional cooperation in NATO strengthens our defense capabilities. Bodø should still be able to receive this help on the day we might need it.”
• The former Bodø Air Force base was decommissioned in 2022, with operations relocated to Ørlandet and Evenes.
• The new airport is part of the “New City—New Airport” initiative, located about one kilometer southwest of the existing facility, and is expected to support the development of a new urban district.
• Bodø Mayor Odd Emil Ingebrigtsen praised the development, claiming it is a testament to Bodø’s strategic role in Norway’s defense framework.