Norway’s Air Force put its first anti-drone system into service at the fighter base—and wants its own drones doing the same job
The system can detect a drone, identify it, and shoot it down—capability the base did not have when lights appeared over it last autumn.
Norway's Air Force has installed its first anti-drone system at the Ørland fighter base, NRK reported. The launcher, provided by British company ISS Aerospace, stands beside the runway where F-35 stealth fighters are stationed. This deployment follows a surge in drone sightings across Europe last autumn, which led to airspace violations, sabotage, and espionage allegations, primarily attributed to Russia.
After a suspected explosive drone incident at a German airport, the Norwegian military seeks to protect fixed installations against drones weighing up to 150 kilograms. The system, part of a C-UAS (Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems) program, can either jam or destroy drones. Ørland already has NASAMS air defenses, but using interceptor missiles to target small drones is deemed costly and inefficient.
The base's defense unit head, Sondre Steinsvik, stated that the new system significantly enhances drone defense capabilities. The purchase was initiated in spring and was expedited following reports of possible drones near the base in September last year. While Ørland's mayor criticized the delay in drone defense, the new system aims to better handle the threat of small, easily accessible drones that could potentially cause significant damage.
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