Norway buys its first two F-35s thanks to the withdrawal from Afghanistan

(B2) Norway announced on Friday (June 15) the purchase of the first two F-35 fighters following the American agreement, received earlier in the week, on the integration of JSM (Joint Strike Missile) missiles into these planes. It was a condition for Norway, which is developing these missiles. The Norwegian Minister of Defense, Espen Barth Eide, therefore authorized the order of the planes to the American industrialist Lockheed Martin.

Missiles Jsm, produced by the Norwegian company Kongsberg, are complementary to the JSF F-35 since they allow targeting both naval and land targets. A market that would represent a total of between 3,3 and 4,2 billion dollars for these JSMs.

The first two fighters ordered correspond to the "conventional" landing and take-off model (F-35 A). They should be followed by a second pair in 2016, then 47 others from 2017.

The budget increase represented by the financing of the F-35 was approved by the Norwegian parliament on Thursday (June 14), in particular thanks to the funds which will be redistributed following the disengagement in Afghanistan.

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