The radar dome

At the time, this radar dome was Norway’s first civilian radar, and it was erected at Haukåsen, just east of Oslo.

The radar facility was commissioned in 1962. The radar, which was the primary radar for air traffic in Eastern Norway, was put into operation from 1965. In 1970, a secondary radar was ordered from England and installed at Haukåsen at the same location as the primary radar. A new approach radar for Fornebu Airport was ordered from a French supplier. This was installed on the roof of the SAS hangar at Koksa, Fornebu. The arrangement proved to work quite well.

Replacements and modernization were performed regularly, in step with developments in radar and new operational demands. In January 1988, work started on preparing the specifications for Oslo’s new control centre at Røyken. In 1992, the facility was completed, and the controllers could move in. Later that same year, a new radar was put into operation at Haukåsen.

The old radar dome was sold to a private buyer in 1993. Ownership was transferred to him in return for him footing the bill for the disassembly. The dome was re-erected at Lillehammer, where it served as an exhibition hall for Volvo during the 1994 Olympics. In 1997, the dome was repurchased for NOK 300,000.

Three trailers transported the radar dome to Bodø in the autumn of 1997. Earthworks began in the autumn of 1998, and in early 1999, work started on building the foundation for the radar dome. The actual assembly of the dome was performed by volunteers, organized largely by Bodø’s Aviation History Society.

On 04 October 2000, the facility opened, with great festivity.