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333 Squadron / 333 Skvadron

From Andøya Air Base 333 Squadron operates P3 Orion surveillance aircraft for monitoring military maritime activity and control of fish resources. Because of its large range of participating squadrons also fly on many search and rescue missions in the North. 333 Squadron is the main element 133 Luftving Andøya and operates six P3 Orion. Since 1969, it has flown over 110,000 flight hours with P-3 Orion without serious accident. 333 is the only Air Force squadrons that have been in continuous service since it was created. In autumn 2005 and autumn 2006 took 333 Squadron Orion aircraft in the NATO operation Active Endeavour. The flights took place from an Italian air base in Sicily.

An important part of the squadron's MASC (Maritime Air Support Center). This is the squadron's operational support element which has the responsibility to prepare, coordinate and analyze all the missions. With an increasingly demanding and sophisticated platform, combined with stringent requirements for ever-better utilization of the P-3 Orion's capabilities, is an operational support element a practical necessity.

Since 1969, 333 Squadron operated several models of the P3 Orion. The first five machines that arrived in 1969, P3-B and were named after the famous Norwegian polar explorers Fridtjof Nansen, Roald Amundsen, Gunnar Isachsen, Otto Sverdrup and Hjalmar Riiser Larsen. Petroleum activity and the establishment of the Norwegian Economic Zone led to the waters that should be monitored, many times doubled. The establishment of the Coast Guard included the acquisition of two additional P-3B Orion. These were named Bernt Balchen and Finn Lambrechts. The new planes came in handy in the 1980s, which was marked by several alleged violations of the Norwegian territory. Anti-submarine missions, with a drop of sharp weapons on several occasions, conducted by, among other things, Stord, Round, Western Fjord, Andsfjorden, Tysfjord, Porsangerfjorden Oslo fjord and Sognefjord.

After nearly 20 years of operational use by 333 Squadron had the "old" B-models of the Orion give way to more modern technology. In November 1988, the first of five P-3B sold to Spain. The Air Force acquired four new P-3C Update III to replace them, while two of the old P-3 B'ene would continue in his job after being modified to P-3N. These are primarily used for fisheries surveillance and training flight. The new aircraft arrived tilAndøya in 1989 and were baptized Vingtor, Jøssing, Viking and Ulabrand. The new P-3C'ene was externally almost identical to its predecessor. Monitoring equipment, however, was far more sophisticated and has a number of improvements over the old equipment in the old aircraft. P-3C has nine crew members to operate advanced technological equipment.

In the 1990s, the activity of the Russian Northern Fleet has been reduced. From the early 80's to mid 90 century fleet halved in quantity. This has resulted in less contact between the 333 Squadron and the Russian Northern Fleet. But still have the Northern Fleet more than 50 operational submarines, in addition to a large fleet of surface vessels. All these vessels have a large capacity. The maritime strength of the Air Force has monitored the post-war period is at least as powerful today. New devices are constantly being developed, which Norway still has an interest to monitor.

The history of 333 Squadron began in 1941 with the arrival of Captain Finn Lambrechts to Britain. After his escape from Norway, he had one time been flying the route Stockholm - Scotland. Before he came out of the country, he had flown North Norway route, a commercial route on the Norwegian coast. He noticed how poorly guarded parts of the long and sparsely populated coast was especially Helgeland. Lambrechts proposed the establishment of a Norwegian flying unit to operate on the Norwegian coast. His idea was approved by the Air Force Joint Command and on 8 February 1942 the Norwegian detachment the RAF's 210 squadron was formed. This date has been recognized as 333 squadron's birthday.

Consolidated Catalina flying boats were the first aircraft squadron was determined by the base station in Woodhaven, Scotland. In addition to land and retrieve agents from occupied Norway wings were also inserted into the submarine hunting and convoy escort. In 1943 a B-wing of the 333 Squadron intent with De Haviland Mosquito fighter-bombers staged at Leuchars. The war effort was extensive: 4500 flight hours over 250 raids resulted in, among other things, the three-lowering and seven damaged submarines and 15 aircraft downed. The squadron lost even 31 men and 24 aircraft.

In June 1945 333 Squadron moved back to Norway and seaplane harbor at Fornebu. At the end of the squadron moved on to the sun, while a detasjement was created at Skattøra at Tromsø to iverate supply need to Svaldbard, Bear Island and Hopen. In the early postwar years was the squadron's main tasks rescue and transportation of materiel and personnel. In 1961, the squadron was scheduled to HU-16 Albatross amphibian and main tasks were concentrated on monitoring the Norwegian waters. Its main base was still the sun, while a detasjement operating out of Andøya. In 1963, however, the department moved to Andøya where it has since been stationed.