Hjerkinn Artillery Range

Hjerkinn Artillery Range Rehabilitation

Client: Norwegian Defence Estates Agency (Forsvarsbygg)

Location: Hjerkinn, Dovre, Norway

Status: Completed

Project Period: 2006–2021

Heavy-duty truck and excavator with STEER crew during UXO clearance at Hjerkinn Artillery Range

A camouflage-patterned CAT dump truck drives through a snow-covered mountainous landscape under a clear sky.

Project Overview

The rehabilitation of the former Hjerkinn military shooting range in the Dovre mountains represents one of Norway’s most extensive and technically demanding environmental restoration projects. Commissioned by the Norwegian Defence Estates Agency (Forsvarsbygg), the mission was to return more than 165 km² of high-altitude mountain terrain to pristine natural condition after decades of artillery exercises and military training.

Steer and Gjermundshaug played central roles in the operation, deploying remote-controlled and semi-autonomous machinery in challenging environments where the presence of unexploded ordnance (UXO / UXB) posed severe risks. Due to the lack of 4G or 5G cellular coverage, communication and control relied on robust long-range Wi-Fi systems, enabling remote operations up to 2–3 km away. All communication and control infrastructure in the field was powered by off-grid solar energy systems, ensuring self-sufficient operation under remote conditions.

Strict safety protocols required a minimum distance of 1,000 meters between personnel and remotely operated machines. This combination of environmental sensitivity, safety demands, and advanced operational techniques made the Hjerkinn project a benchmark for future autonomous operations in civil engineering.

Military Use and Types of Explosives

Established in 1923, Hjerkinn served as a key training ground for the Norwegian Armed Forces and allied nations for over 80 years. The area was used for:

Artillery training with self-propelled howitzers such as the M109, using live high-explosive shells.

Armored exercises involving tanks like the Leopard 1 and Leopard 2.

Air force bombing runs with F-16 fighter jets dropping various munitions including cluster bombs and general-purpose bombs.

Infantry and cavalry exercises using a range of small arms and anti-tank weapons.

The long history of live-fire exercises led to a significant presence of UXO, including artillery shells, mortar rounds, air-dropped munitions, and practice bombs.