Lockheed Martin has successfully delivered the last three F-35 Lightning II combat aircraft to Norway, completing the country’s procurement under the global Joint Strike Fighter Program. Norway’s Ambassador to the United States, Anniken Huitfeldt, oversaw the delivery from Fort Worth, Texas, where the aircraft were dispatched. This milestone signifies the fulfillment of Oslo’s commitment to acquiring its fleet of F-35s within the framework of the 20-nation initiative.
The aircraft are expected to arrive at Ørland Air Base in Trøndelag before the weekend, where they will undergo final acceptance evaluations. Once these evaluations are complete, the planes will enter service with the Royal Norwegian Air Force. Notably, one of the delivered jets will remain in the United States to aid in ongoing Joint Strike Missile testing for allied fighter aircraft.
Norway’s defense agency has announced plans to host a formal ceremony at Ørland Air Base in April to mark the conclusion of its F-35 foreign military sale agreement with the United States. With the addition of these aircraft, Norway’s total F-35 fleet now stands at 52.
Gro Jære, the Norwegian Defence Materiel Director, expressed that the receipt of the final F-35 aircraft is a significant milestone for both Norway and its armed forces. She noted that it reflects years of dedicated efforts and seamless cooperation across the entire defense sector. “Together, we have ensured that Norway now has a modern and forward-looking combat aircraft capability that will strengthen our national security for decades to come,” Jære stated.
The F-35 Lightning II is a single-seat, fifth-generation multirole fighter jet, measuring 51 feet (16 meters) in length with a wingspan of 35 feet (11 meters). The aircraft is capable of carrying an array of weapons, including multi-domain missiles, a 25mm rotary cannon, guided and unguided munitions, and nuclear bombs. It is powered by a Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 afterburning turbofan engine, allowing it to reach speeds of Mach 1.6 (1,228 miles/1,976 kilometers per hour) with a range of 1,500 nautical miles (1,726 miles/2,778 kilometers) and a service ceiling of 50,000 feet (15,240 meters).
In this transition, the F-35 is set to replace Norway’s aging fleet of F-16 Fighting Falcons, which have been operating since the 1980s, thereby modernizing the nation’s aerial combat capabilities.
