Rygge Air Base just south of Oslo is getting ready to be a forward operating base for US F-35 Lightning II stealthy combat jets. Despite US statements of some troop withdrawals from Europe, the Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) at Rygge says there is no stop in getting the air station ready for combat ops.
Under a bilateral agreement US forces are granted full access to many Norwegian military installations. One of them is Rygge, home of the RNoAF headquarters, the Cyber Command, part of Norway’s military logistics organisation and more. The Norwegian are solely operating Bell 412 transport & assault helicopters and Agusta Westland AW101 SAR Queen search-and-rescue helicopters from the base. Between 2007 and 2016 Rygge was even mostly civilian, as Moss Airport, but since then returned to full military status.
Fighter jets at Rygge
According to statements by Rygge’s base commander to Norwegian broadcasting company NRK, the mission is still a full go. Once the shelters for the US F-35s have been built, a detachment of four of the American jets are likely to be seen operating from Rygge. Plan is to have the US part of the base operational by 2027, including increased ammunition storage and other supplies. Rygge has seen fighter jets before — between 1980 and 2002 it was home to the Norwegian 332 Squadron, operating the General Dynamics/Lockheed-Martin F-16 Fighting Falcons. Since then fighter jets have used Rygge irregularly.
Financed by NATO
Rygge was from the beginning a plan of NATO. In 1952 the military alliance decided that an airbase would be built there, with NATO financing. The first plane landed on 15 July 1953, and the base was declared fully operational in 1954. For the current beef-up the Americans make the payments directly. More than 70 years later it is back in the limelight. Rygge is located 60 kilometres (37 miles) south of the Norwegian of Oslo, roughly at the beginning of the Oslofjord leading to the capital city. The nearest Norwegian frontline fighter unit is at Ørland, near Trondheim. Here 132 Squadron operates F-35s 425 kilometres (264 miles) north of Oslo. | © 2026 Marcel Burger, nordicreporter.com. Featured image: A Royal Norwegian Air Force F-35 at Rygge in May 2024 (Photo: Fabian Helmersen / Forsvaret)