The infrastructure of the RNoAF includes seven airbases (at Ørland, Rygge, Andøya, Evenes, Bardufoss, Bodø, and Gardermoen).

In the late 1930s, as war seemed imminent, more modern aircraft were bought from abroad, including twelve Gloster Gladiator fighters from the UK, and six Heinkel He 115s from Germany.

Considerable orders for aircraft were placed with United States companies during the months prior to the invasion of Norway on 9 April 1940.

Also ordered prior to the invasion were 24 Northrop N-3PB float planes built in on Norwegian specifications for a patrol bomber.

The order was made on 12 March 1940 in an effort to replace the Royal Norwegian Navy Air Service's obsolete MF.11 biplane patrol aircraft.

None of the type were delivered by 9 April and when they became operational with the 330 (Norwegian) Squadron in May 1941 they were stationed at Reykjavík, Iceland performing anti-submarine and convoy escort duties.

Jagevingen lost two Gladiators to ground strafing while they were rearming on Fornebu and one in the air, shot down by Future Experte Helmut Lent, injuring the sergeant pilot.

After the withdrawal of allied forces, the Norwegian Government ceased fighting in Norway and evacuated to the United Kingdom on 10 June 1940.

Only aircraft of the Royal Norwegian Navy Air Service had the range to fly all the way from their last remaining bases in Northern Norway to the UK.

A captured Arado Ar 196 originating from the German heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper was also flown to Britain for testing.

For the Norwegian Army Air Service aircraft the only option for escape was Finland, where the planes would be interned but at least not fall into the hands of the Germans.

In all two Fokker C.V.s and one de Havilland Tiger Moth made it across the border and onto Finnish airfields just before the capitulation of mainland Norway.

All navy and army aircraft that fled to Finland were pressed into service with the Finnish Air Force,[3] while most of the aircrew eventually ended up in "Little Norway".

In 1947, the Surveillance and Control Division acquired its first radar system, and around the same time the RNoAF got its first jet fighters in the form of de Havilland Vampires.

[7] On 27–28 January, Norwegian F-16s bombed Hezb-e Islami Gulbuddin Fighters in the Adi Ghar Mountains during the beginnings of Operation Mongoose.

[10] On 24 March 2011, F-16s from the Royal Norwegian Air Force were assigned to the United States Africa Command during Operation Odyssey Dawn.

[33] In April 2024 the Strategic Defence Plan announced the intention to acquire one extra C-130J Super Hercules and undisclosed number of helicopters to support the Army and special force.

These are divided into a total of one Control and Reporting Centre, nine flying squadrons as well as two ground based air defence units.

[46][47][48] Previous aircraft flown included the Dassault Falcon 20, F-16 Fighting Falcon, North American F-86K, Republic F-84G, F-104 Starfighter, Northrop F-5, Lockheed T-33, Fairchild PT-26, Catalina PB5Y-A, Douglas C-47, DHC-3 Otter, Noorduyn Norseman, Cessna O-1, Bell UH-1B, Bell 47G, P-3 Orion, NHIndustries NH90 and the Westland Sea King and Westland Lynx helicopters.