New Training Center for the Norwegian Armed Forces and Allies in Northern Norway
Sørreisa in Northern Norway will house an allied amphibious center and will receive ships such as the British amphibious warship Lyme Bay, here pictured in Troms during the Cold Response 2020 exercise. (Photo: Emil Wenaas Larsen / the Norwegian Armed Forces)
Sørreisa in Troms County in northern Norway will house an allied amphibious war center. This is a training facility where landing forces from the sea are practiced in close cooperation between land, sea, and air defense. Norwegian and allied forces will train together here in Arctic conditions.
Allied marine soldiers will have Sørreisa in Troms as its base in the coming time. The municipality will also house a amphibious war center.
"We must train together to defend Norway, the Nordic region, and NATO in crisis and war," says Norwegian MoD Bjørn Arild Gram (Center) in a press release from the Ministry of Defense.
The MoD visited the Army and the Air Force in Sørreisa on November 28th, where the main topic was the plans for the establishment of an allied amphibious war center in Sørreisa.
A good arena
The upcoming amphibious center will provide Norway's closest allies, the US, the Netherlands, and the UK, and their own amphibious forces with their own training arena in an Arctic climate.
"The Armed Forces depend on training with our allies to secure Norway. Although we do not have our own amphibious forces, the Army has its main base in Troms, with Setermoen, Bardufoss, and Skjold at the forefront. The Norwegian Naval Special Operations Command in Ramsund and the Coast Guard in Sortlant are also in the area. In total, the region will be an important and good arena for allied training," says Gram.
Sørreisa plays an important role in air operations.
The center will be able to house several hundred soldiers and will include facilities such as barracks, kitchens, and operational areas.
Important NATO hub
Sørreisa already houses central capacities within air surveillance and coordination. The visit included a tour of the Air Force station and briefings from the Joint Air Operations Center (JAOC) and the Control and Reporting Center (CRC).
"Sørreisa plays an important role in air operations. Establishing the amphibious center will strengthen Sørreisa's position as a NATO hub. In addition, we will establish a maintenance center for supporting radars and air surveillance sensors. Sørreisa will then have one of three Norwegian maintenance centers. These are important local initiatives that contribute to the security of Norway," says MoD Gram.
Last week, the Minister of Defense visited the Army's facilities at Skjold, Bardufoss, and Sørreisa, all in Troms County.
The government is committed to strengthening the Armed Forces' regional operational capacities through investments and personnel growth.
"We are strengthening the Armed Forces' footprint in Troms. This area is crucial for our national preparedness and defense capability. In the long-term plan, we plan for significant personnel growth, almost 2,500 more employees, conscripts, and reservists, and investments in property, buildings, and facilities of almost NOK 16 billion in Troms," says Gram.
