TSAMTO, December 15. The Norwegian Defense Materiel Agency (NDMA) announced the arrival of three F–35A Lightning-2 fighters in the country.
Departing from Fort Worth (pcs.Texas) planes landed at the Erland Air Force Base on the morning of December 9.
Thus, the total number of aircraft delivered to the Norwegian Air Force has grown to 34 units. There are currently 24 aircraft in Norway, another 10 Norwegian F-35A are stationed at the Luk Air Base (Arizona), where they are used for training personnel.
As reported by TSAMTO, in November 2008, the Norwegian Ministry of Defense announced the selection of the F-35 Lightning-2 as the winner of the tender for the supply of new generation fighters for the country's Air Force, designed to replace 57 obsolete F-16s, the withdrawal of which is expected to begin in 2022. Eventually, the Norwegian Defense Ministry plans to receive up to 52 new F-35A. The estimated purchase price is 83.3 billion. CZK (about $9.2 billion).
The first F-35 fighter of the Norwegian Air Force was received at the enterprise in Fort Worth (pcs.Texas) on September 22, 2015. The first three F-35A fighters landed at the Erland Airbase on November 3, 2017. The aircraft are part of the 332nd Fighter Squadron stationed at the base.
On November 6, 2019, the Norwegian Air Force Command announced that the fleet of F-35A Lightning-2 fighters had reached the state of initial readiness for combat use. The Air Force Command plans to announce the full readiness of the aircraft for combat use in 2025.
Norwegian fighters have already taken part in the operation of patrolling Iceland's airspace in 2020 under the auspices of NATO. In 2022, the Norwegian Air Force will have enough F-35s in the country to take on a "rapid response" mission.
According to the approved plans, from 2018, the Norwegian Air Force should receive 6 new F-35s per year until 2024. So far, these rates are being observed. The service life of the F-35 is tentatively estimated at 40 years.
