Right now, an extensive exercise is taking place among NATO countries called Nordic Response, including at the air station in Andøy municipality in Nordland. The air station was actually decided to be closed already in 2016, but after x number of rematches, it may seem that the activity out in the sea gap can be continued. Defense Minister Bjørn Arild Gram (Sp) tells news that the guard at the air station will continue, and that there may be news about the station in the future. – In this regard, the Sp/Ap government has decided to continue the military guarding of the military airport area also after the summer of 2024. There has been some uncertainty around this issue, and it is important for the government now to create security so that the military presence on Andøya will continue, says Defense Minister Gram. Finnish F/A-18 on Andøya during the Nordic Response exercise. Photo: Ella Hagen / Forsvaret – More clarifications to come The Ministry of Defense writes in a press release that the government has made significant investments on Andøya. They envision the municipality of Vesterål as a natural and important place for space-based services, research and development of civil-military cooperation. Among other things, there is talk of Andøya being a place where drones will be developed for the defence. In the first instance, the current level of ambition will be continued with approximately the same number of personnel. – There will be more clarifications for Andøya in the new long-term plan for the defense sector which will be presented during the spring, says Gram. In the work on the new long-term plan for the defense sector, the government will also assess which other military functions can be located on Andøya. Gram says that the level of security will be about the same as today. – Right now, in relation to guarding and security, it will be about the same level as today, there are 7 employees and approximately 40 conscripts.
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The government will secure the disused airport on Andøya – news Nordland
