Location Oslo 01L/19R 3,600 11,811 Asphalt Operator Royal Norwegian Air Force | Elevation AMSL 208 m / 681 ft 3,600 11,811 Elevation 208 m | |
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Airport type Joint (Civil and Military) | ||
Gardermoen Air Station (IATA: OSL, ICAO: ENGM) (Norwegian: Gardermoen flystasjon) is located about 50 km north of Oslo, Norway. It is the location for the 135th Airwing and the 335 Squadron of the Royal Norwegian Air Force, which currently operates four of the originally five (see: 2012 Norwegian C-130 crash) recently procured C-130J-30 Super Hercules transport aircraft. In addition, the airfield is designed to handle the complex logistics of the air force, and is one of the most advanced C-130 installations in Europe. Also, Norway's main airport, Oslo Airport, Gardermoen is located near the air station.
History
The Norwegian Army started using Gardermoen as a camp already in 1740, when it was called Fredericksfeldt. The first flight took place in 1912, and by 1920 there were multiple hangars at the airport.
During the German invasion of Norway during World War II the German bombed the airport, but built it up with two 2000-meter runways during the war.
The military airport was founded on December 1, 1996, with new installations for 1,2 billion NOK. The airfield is built to easily expand cheaply and fast whenever needed. On October 8, 1998 the main airport serving Oslo was moved from Fornebu to Gardermoen. The new airport had among other facilities two runways.
The Air Force was considering moving its operations at Gardermoen to Rygge Air Station by consent of the Chief of Defence of Norway, General Sigurd Frisvold in the 2003-2004 period; however, this proposition was turned down by the Norwegian Parliament's Defence Committee. Thus, the air station currently remains operational.