1 Introduction

Photo from inside a busy airport

Photo: Avinor

1.1 Background

The airspace is an important and valuable part of the Norwegian territory and an important national resource in the same manner as our mainland and territorial waters. Administration of the airspace is part of Norwegian sovereignty policy. The airspace is of major significance for important areas of society in all parts of the country, and includes civil and military aviation, space activity in transit, communication, business development and recreational activities. Its users are a diverse mix of actors; civil and military, commercial and non-commercial. The objects in the airspace are an equally diverse mix of large and small – and increasingly unmanned – aircraft. The interest in the airspace and the manifold opportunities involved in a more intensive use are growing. In the future, new and more or less familiar areas of use, actors and technologies have to be expected, at the same time as there needs to be space for existing users. At the same time, well-established framework conditions such as aviation safety, security, cyber security, as well as the civil and military preparedness dimension, have to be safeguarded. This generates a need for clear framework conditions and clear rules governing the use of the airspace – corresponding to the rules that have been developed for mainland and sea areas.

Aviation is a global activity, and the Norwegian authorities’ scope of action is to a great extent affected by global and regional guidelines and binding obligations. Aviation is also easily impacted by the occurrence of special incidents. In recent decades, we have witnessed incidents including the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001, clouds of ash and now, the Covid-19 pandemic. The latter has abruptly and comprehensively impacted aviation and may have a relatively long-term impact and significant knock-on effects globally, at all levels. We must be prepared to develop the capability to handle unforeseen incidents and changes to the use of the airspace, also in the future.

The developments in the use of airspace indicate a need for a national strategy, with a complete overview of the administration of the airspace. This includes prioritisations, framework conditions, means, measures and efforts nationally, regionally and globally. At the same time, there are uncertainties relating to the future developments of airspace use. A strategy will therefore have to be flexible, and serve as an aid in planning, leading and regulating the airspace, depending on how the surroundings change in times of peace, crisis and armed conflict.

1.2 Working Group for a National Airspace Strategy

The Ministry of Transport has the overall responsibility for the airspace and for the identification and addressing of problems and trends in a comprehensive manner. The Civil Aviation Authority of Norway has the main responsibility for oversight of Norwegian civil aviation and associated regulatory developments. The Norwegian Armed Forces has a role as both a military aviation authority and as an important airspace user, and Avinor has a prominent role with imposed duties, as airport owner and as the provider of air traffic services and other air navigation services. The use of the airspace affects several government ministries and government authorities including the police, customs, fire and health services, and it is necessary to facilitate, among other things, air medical services, search and rescue operations and the development of Norway as a space nation.

In order to ensure a good professional basis and to safeguard as many considerations and interests as possible, the Norwegian Government in March 2020 established a working group led by the Ministry of Transport, with members from the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norwegian Armed Forces, Civil Aviation Authority of Norway and Avinor. The Norwegian Government has prepared the Norwegian Airspace Strategy based on the work of the Working Group.

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