NATO opens Nordic air operations centre

Royal Norwegian Air Force Lockheed Martin F-35 (F-35A) Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters operating over the High North. The Nordic countries have opened a CAOC to protect NATO's northern flank. (Royal Norwegian Air Force)

The Nordic countries of Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden have opened a combined air operations centre (CAOC) aimed at protecting NATO's northern flank.

The Danish Ministry of Defence (MoD) said on 6 March that the new CAOC at Bodø in northern Norway is made up of personnel drawn from the air forces of the four Nordic countries, along with “substantial support” from the UK Royal Air Force (RAF) and US Air Force (USAF).

“The concept of a joint Nordic air operations centre is currently being tested for the first time,” the Danish MoD said. “This is happening in connection with the major NATO Exercise ‘Nordic Response', which is taking place in the northern part of Norway, Sweden, and Finland.”

The Danish MoD report noted that it is a temporary CAOC, meaning that it will not for now join the established CAOCs at Uedem in Germany and Torrejón in Spain on a permanent footing. Other temporary CAOCs have been established to support specific NATO missions, such as the air policing of Albania.

The standing up of the Nordic CAOC came 12 months after the Nordic neighbours agreed on “seamless co-operation” between their respective air forces, with a letter of intent (LoI) announced on 23 March 2023.