With all Nordic countries now part of NATO, officials have said changes to existing command structures may be necessary to integrate national and regional security needs with alliance requirements. In March 2023, the Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, and Danish air forces signed a declaration to create a joint Nordic air force. This concept includes integrating air command and control, joint operations planning, and execution, as well as shared situational awareness. The Nordic countries must shift to a coordinated force in the air, which will require close coordination and consensus among nations.
Management responsibilities for the combined military force are expected to be shared among all Nordic countries, potentially requiring them to release some control to a higher authority. The proposal of a combined polar air force structure has been dubbed “mini-NATO,” though officials emphasize it is not a substitute but rather complements the military alliance. With all Nordic states now NATO members, questions arise about how their responsibilities will align within NATO’s current command-and-control structure.
A statement from the Norwegian Armed Forces mentioned a transfer of NATO command over the Nordic region to Joint Force Command-Norfolk in the US. The Nordic air power concept needs alignment with NATO plans and structure, requiring revisions to include a Nordic agency. During the Nordic Response exercise this year, a combined Nordic air operations center was tested for the first time, with personnel from Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden participating.
