First airfield The first proposals for an airport in Lakselv stemmed from military considerations. Despite a Norwegian policy of
neutrality, there was a fear that Norway could be
occupied by foreign powers to take advantage of the country's strategic position. The Norwegian military therefore wanted airfields constructed throughout the country to increase the air force's mobility. Finnmark was regarded as a key location, given the increased Soviet militarization on the
Kola Peninsula. Increased military funding was granted from 1937, which allowed triangular runway to be built Banak the following year. It was used by a detachment of the
Royal Norwegian Navy Air Service. Banak was taken over by the Luftwaffe during the
German occupation of Norway during
World War II. The
Wehrmacht was planning an attack on the Soviet Union from Finnmark and designated Banak as their primary air base in Northern Norway. By September 1940, the main runway was extended to , constructed in wood. Three hangars were built, allowing the air base to house
bombers. The air station's prime function during the war was to facilitate attacks on the
Arctic convoys. Expansion continued, and by 1943 there were two parallel runways, both long. The air station was blasted in October 1944 during
Operation Nordlicht, the German retreat from Finnmark. In 1945 the Norwegian Air Force took control over the airfield and commenced reconstruction. That year, the air force operated a service from
Bardufoss Air Station via Banak to
Kirkenes Airport, Høybuktmoen, with correspondence to
Oslo at Bardufoss. The service lasted only the one season. Later the runway was used to serve
air ambulances. During the late 1940s, part of the wooden runway was removed and used for other construction projects. However, Norway's entry into the
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1949 had a dramatic effect on the military strategy and Banak. Finnmark was regarded as a tripwire and was to be sacrificed in case of a Soviet invasion. The airfield was closed in 1952, but the runway remained, consisting of a short section of unmaintained wooden runway and the rest a grass strip. It was occasionally used by small aircraft.
Plans for reestablishment Interest from military leaders for an airport at Banak returned in 1955. The Air Force was mainly concerned that they could not reach the easternmost parts of Norway from
Bodø Main Air Station. This allowed for several Soviet infringements of Norwegian air space. Alternative locations were considered, such as
Kautokeino, where a radar had been built. NATO supported a reconstruction of Banak, partially raised by increased focus towards NATO's northern flank, and also to serve as part of the nuclear program. NATO was ready to provide funding in 1957, but by then Norwegian authorities were wanting to delay its construction. They cited lack of personnel to man the station as well as a lack of usability in times of war. The government decided in 1957 to disallow nuclear warheads to be stored in Norway during peacetime, thus eliminating NATO's strategic need for Banak. The air station was therefore removed from the investment program. By 1959 the United States was concerned that the militarization of the Kola Peninsula would become the prime source of a Soviet attack on North America. A new discussion about location arose, with
Alta and Kautokeino as the main alternatives. Banak was estimated to cost NOK 4.9 million, NOK 2.8 million less than Alta, had better instrument landing and weather conditions and allowed a longer runway. The main advantage of Alta was that it would be better suited for civilian traffic. The
government and
Parliament approved construction of Banak in 1959 on condition that it receive NATO funding. By then new concerns had been raised by NATO regarding the defense of Banak, caused by its proximity to the Soviet Union, lack of military forces in Finnmark and lack of natural obstacles. The initial response from the Norwegian Air Force was that the airfield could easily be used by the Soviet Union in its current shape and that a means of destruction could make it useless following a Norwegian retreat. Later costs estimates rose to NOK 8.9 million, which would include a runway, a taxiway and a
apron. Lack of funding meant the airport would not meet all of NATO's air base standards. This would be permitted because the airfield, from NATO's point of view, would only be used for emergency landings. All three airports opened on 4 May 1963.
Cold War has been based at Banak since 1973 The dwindling credibility of the
massive retaliation strategy caused NATO to shift to the
flexible response strategy. This increased the importance of Banak, as it would be used to fly in reinforcements in a war situation. In 1962, both RNoAF and NATO proposed that Banak be expanded to full NATO standards. RNoAF planned that Banak should host a detachment of up to six
fighters or
fighter-bombers and act as a stopover for fighters, transports and helicopters. The airfield was to stockpile supplies, including fuel and ammunition, for one month of war efforts. NATO saw need, in case of a Soviet attack on Finnmark, to deploy two
brigades consisting of 10,000 men in the course of a week and simultaneously host a squadron of tactical aircraft. The expansion was estimated to cost NOK 17.8 million, of which NATO would fund 15.6 million, and approved by Parliament on 7 May 1965. NATO adjusted the plans later that year, reducing the apron area by while increasing from one to two hangars. Construction lasted from 1967 to 1968. It consisted of extending the runway with , constructing two hangars, a communications building and a network of internal roads and taxiways. The upgrades were followed up by pressure from the armed forces to establish a squadron of fighters at Banak. Following the
Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia in August–September 1968, the ministry decided to upgrade the Garrison of Porsanger from 400 to 1000 men. This was followed up with an extension of the runway and better
air defense at Banak. Throughout the Cold War, Norway enforced a policy to disallow allied aircraft to operate further north than
Bardufoss and
Andøya, in an effort to minimize tension with the Soviet Union. This was motivated in part to not unnecessarily provoke the Soviet Union, with which Norway shared a land border, and in part because increased allied military presence could decrease the popular support for NATO membership. The restrictions were strengthened following the
1960 U-2 incident, in which a US spy aircraft en route to Bodø was shot down over Soviet territory. During the mid-1960s, NATO unsuccessfully attempted to convince Norwegian authorities to move the allied operational border from the 24th to the
27th meridian east. NATO's military interest for Banak peaked during the late 1960s. Increased range of Soviet aircraft during the 1970s diminished the need for troops in Finnmark; combined with Norwegian tension and nuclear policies, this caused the United States to favor
Vestfjorden and
Troms over Banak as the primary areas of defense. Since 1970, the
332 Squadron and later the
334 Squadron and
336 Squadron have operated regular training missions out of Banak with fighter aircraft. In 1969 Parliament decided to establish a search and rescue squadron. Ten Sea King helicopters were bought by the
Ministry of Justice in December 1970 and the 330 Squadron was re-enacted on 25 May 1973. Banak was one of four original stations for the helicopters, the others being Bodø,
Ørland and
Sola. The first major mission was on 7 April 1974, when thirteen fishermen were rescued when the trawler
Longvabakk sank in the
Oksefjorden at
Cape Nordkinn.
Later history in the background The responsibility for Banak's Sea Kings originally included
Svalbard. After a 1992 sinking, the government decided to instead lease a
Super Puma helicopter for Svalbard, removing the archipelago from Banak's portfolio. Banak's runway was extended in 1992 and 1993, including widening to and receiving new runway lighting. In 2001, the Ministry of Justice considered reorganizing the search and rescue services, and looked into moving the 330 Squadron from Banak to
Hammerfest Airport. The rationale was the proximity to
Hammerfest Hospital and a typical 40-minute shorter flight time to the coast. However, such a location would give longer travel time to the inner parts of Finnmark. The plans were hindered by opposition from the Air Force, as they would have to establish a military station at Hammerfest. The Norwegian Armed Forces announced in 2007 that they would carry out a major restructuring and decrease of activity in Finnmark, with the long-term plan to close the Garrison of Porsanger. ==Facilities==