With the delivery of the last two aircraft, the Royal Norwegian Air Force has become the first partner in the F-35 Lightning II program to complete its fleet of fifth-generation fighters. This milestone was reached on April 1, following the reception of aircraft number 51 and 52.
With this recent achievement for the Nordic country, Norwegian Minister of Defense Tore O. Sandvik stated: “…The F-35 is the best fighter aircraft in the world, and I am extremely pleased to receive the last of the 52 combat aircraft from Lockheed Martin that Norway has ordered… This aircraft allows us to safeguard Norwegian sovereignty and maintain even greater control over our land, maritime, and air areas…”.
It is worth remembering that the Royal Norwegian Air Force officially selected the F-35 Lightning II fighter in 2008. With this acquisition, the Nordic country sought to modernize its combat aviation, which at the time operated F-16AM/BM Fighting Falcon strike fighters. With the arrival of the fifth-generation fighters of U.S. origin, the F-16s were retired, with their new users being the Romanian Air Force and the Ukrainian Air Force.
By 2015, Norway’s F-35A Lightning II program had already been consolidated despite delays in the development and serial production of the fifth-generation fighters. At that time, Norwegian pilots had begun test flights and training with the new combat platform, culminating in 2017 with the arrival of the first aircraft at Ørland Air Base. This milestone marked the beginning of the delivery schedule for the 52 aircraft included in the contract.
With the delivery of the last F-35A Lightning II aircraft to the Royal Norwegian Air Force, Chauncey McIntosh, Vice President and General Manager of the F-35 Program at Lockheed Martin, stated: “…Norway’s F-35 fleet enhances the interoperability of the Norwegian Armed Forces’ defense systems, increasing situational awareness across the entire Force and strengthening transatlantic security…”.
Lockheed Martin also highlighted: “…With over one million flight hours and a global fleet of more than 1,150 aircraft, continuously growing, the F-35 offers unmatched capabilities, reinforcing deterrence for allies worldwide. The F-35 operates from 48 bases around the world, including 10 countries conducting operations within their national territory…”.
*Cover image: Lockheed Martin.
