Summary:

This study has explored the local campaign to counter the 2001 military recommendation to close down Andoeya Air Station and relocate the 333 Squadron with maritime patrol aircraft to Bodoe Main Air Station. The following problem has been addressed: How was the campaign to resist the close down of Andoeya Air Station organized and carried out?

Due to the fact that the air station did not close down, a sub-problem has also been addressed: To what degree did the campaign influence on the final decision by the parliament?

The main finding in this study is that the local government, supported by the air station, the local community and professional lobbyists carried out an effective campaign towards the political decision-makers. The campaign was built on experiences the last two decades and especially on a failing campaign seven years earlier. Main success factors were the strategic planning by a strong and united local organization, an early start-up, the allocation of resources and the selection of arguments.

However, this study is, due to research limitation, not concluding the campaign as the single cause of the result. Wider political motives may have influenced, or possibly the recommendation was a cover-up by the military leadership. Anyway, there are reasons to believe that the campaign had an effect on the final political decision.