By the end of the year, Norway will write off the last F-16 and completely switch to 5th generation fighters. The first buyer of the decommissioned aircraft was the American company Draken International.
According to the procurement agency of the Norwegian Ministry of Defense (Forsvarsmateriell, FMA), a contract has been signed with Draken International for the purchase of "up to 12 F-16 fighters" from the Norwegian Air Force. The deal is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2022, unless there are delays in approval from the Norwegian and US Defense Ministries, which must approve the sale.
Norwegian Air Force F-16 fighter
Image source: fma.no
The approval of the deal should pass without problems, since Draken International is one of the key contractors of the US Air Force in pilot training. Norwegian Defense Minister Odd-Roger Enoxen has already welcomed the signing of the contract: "The F-16 aircraft served the Armed Forces and the country very well for more than 40 years, until they were replaced by the F-35. The Ministry has emphasized that our F-16s will be used by the Allies in the future. We positively assess the fact that Forsvarsmateriell has concluded an agreement with the American company Draken International for the sale of up to 12 aircraft. This company provides services to the US armed forces. At the same time, there is a dialogue with NATO allies about the sale of several Norwegian F-16s. Therefore, I hope that this aircraft will be useful for a few more years."
The F-16 is a multifunctional light fighter of the fourth generation. The aircraft entered service with the US Air Force in 1979 and to this day is one of the most advanced combat vehicles due to constant modernization.
