Vidsel Air Base Vidsel Air Base is a Swedish Air Force airfield located 15 km west - northwest of the town of Vidsel , in Sweden . It is a critical part of Vidsel Test Range that provides an aerospace test and evaluation asset for Sweden through the Test & Evaluation ( T & E ) department of Swedish Defence Materiel Administration ( FMV ) . The Swedish Armed Forces , 21st Air Force Wing is the proprietor of the Air Base . By contract between SAF and FMV , FMV T & E use the base as part of the Vidsel Test Range . SAF is responsible for keeping Vidsel Air Base in operational status and that the airport related activities are carried out in accordance with Swedish military regulations . The airfield is located in the south - east corner of Vidsel Test Range , which is a missile test range consisting of 7 , 200 km² restricted airspace and 3 , 300 km² restricted ground space . There is operational support staff at Vidsel Air Base supporting airfield ops at all times . Facilities . Runways . There are four runways belonging to the base , of which three are operational . Aprons . There are 17 apron areas at the base . The largest are : There are also 13 smaller aprons , all approx . 400 m² , suitable for single military fast jets . Hangars . There are two hangars at the air base , both mainly used for the operations at Vidsel Test Range . The larger one is 1800 m² , and can house several military style fast jets . The smaller one is 850 m² , divided in two parts , and can house two military style fast jets . Shelters . There are four shelters for military style fast jets at the air base . Arresting gear . The airfield is fitted with an NATO standard arrestor cable system , as well as Swedish standard arresting net . Civil use . For normal air force operational reasons , civilian aircraft are generally not given permission to use the airfield unless such use is related to defence activities . History . Vidsel Air Base was established as a secret wartime air base by the Swedish Air Force in 1957 . It was called " Krigsflygfält nr . 42 " ( Wartime airbase no . 42 ) and not put on maps or written about . The majority of work at the base was done by personnel from the Test & Evaluation department of Swedish Defence Materiel Administration ( FMV ) . The use of the base was both as a dispersed airbase in case of war , and for the newly established Vidsel Test Range . The secrecy of the base was lifted in 1965 , with foreign aircraft using the base from 1966 , though very sparsely . During the 70 ' s the use of the base for training of Swedish Air Force crews increased steadily , and more and more of the operations was taken over by personnel from the 21st wing . In 1980 all training for the Swedish Air Force in north Sweden was moved to Vidsel Air Base . Vidsel Air Base was completed as a " Bas 90 " airbase in 1989 , meaning that apart from a main runway three shorter runways had been added together with other facilities . Aircraft operated . Vidsel Air Base is able to operate all current types of aircraft used by the Swedish AF , as well as a number of other aircraft from other users , including many NATO , as the airfield is equipped with an arresting wire . The following aircraft have operated from Vidsel Air Base : " ( Note , list not complete . ) "