INTERNAL SECURITY & SUPPORT AVIATION • (RNoAF / Coast Guard Support)

INTERNAL SECURITY & SUPPORT AVIATION • (RNoAF / Coast Guard Support)

In the Norwegian defense and security model, there is no separate "Gendarmerie" or "Paramilitary Police Aviation" branch within the military structure. Instead, internal security, counter-terrorism support, and maritime border protection are performed by the Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) and the Coast Guard, which operate in close coordination with civil police authorities.

INTERNAL SECURITY & SUPPORT AVIATION • (RNoAF / Coast Guard Support)

Paramilitary / Home Guard Personnel: ε40,000 (Home Guard Reserves). Status: Integrated military support for civil authorities. Mission: Search and Rescue (SAR), national emergency response, maritime border interdiction, and counter-terrorism support for the Norwegian Police.

Forces by Role & Equipment by Type

• HELICOPTER 47 active support platforms.

Search and Rescue (SAR) / National Emergency Response with 1 active squadron (No. 330):

• 15 Leonardo AW101 (SAR Queen).
  • (Note: These assets provide the primary national SAR and emergency response capability, operating from six bases across Norway to support both military and civilian police requirements).
• 4 Westland Sea King Mk43B (Phasing out in favor of AW101).

Tactical Multi-role & Police Support with 1 active squadron (No. 339 Special Operations Aviation Squadron):

• 18 Bell 412SP/HP Twin Huey.
  • (Note: Based primarily at Rygge Air Station, these helicopters provide organic transport for police special intervention units and special operations forces).

Maritime Border Guard & Fishery Protection (Ship-borne): Maritime Domain Awareness & Border Monitoring:

• 6 Sikorsky S-70/MH-60R Seahawk (9 additional on order).
  • Note: Operated by the Air Force for the Coast Guard to perform border surveillance, maritime interdiction, and environmental monitoring.

• AIRCRAFT (SPECIAL MISSION)

• 5 Boeing 737 (P-8A Poseidon).
  • Note: These aircraft provide high-altitude persistence and strategic surveillance of Norway's exclusive economic zone and maritime frontiers).

Supporting Paramilitary Forces (Ground-Based)

NORWEGIAN HOME GUARD (Heimevernet)

• Personnel: 40,000 reserves.
• Status: Territorial defense and infrastructure protection.
• Organization: 11 Home Guard Districts, including Rapid Reaction Forces (ε3,000 troops) and Naval Home Guard areas.
• Mission: Guarding vital infrastructure, supporting police during civil emergencies, and providing local security.

Strategic Note: By 2026, Norway’s internal security aviation capability is defined by the full operational integration of the AW101 SAR Queen and the P-8A Poseidon. Following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Norway has committed to spending at least 2% of GDP on defense, with a specific focus on strengthening readiness in the High North. This includes enhanced cooperation between the RNoAF and civil police through the 339 Special Operations Aviation Squadron, which maintains high-readiness rotary-wing support for national counter-terrorism tasks. Additionally, the Home Guard remains the backbone of the Kingdom’s paramilitary territorial defense, providing a massive pool of trained personnel for infrastructure protection and disaster response.