The decision to upgrade the airport was taken in 1950, following the decision that Norway would receive the F-84 Thunderjet through the Marshall Plan. They required a much longer runway than the existing de Havilland Vampires and the air force wanted to have one airport with sufficient runway length for them in each of its regions. For Central Norway the air force therefore decided to upgrade Ørland's main runway to . Construction started in April 1952 and was completed in June 1952. Work then started on the parallel runway, which was completed in November. The initial investment program for the airport concluded in July 1954 with the completion of a fire station. The air force and its 332 Squadron started using the airport on 31 May 1954.