F-35 Lightning II Wins Dogfight in Norway
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by Endre Lunde & DID
In my May 2006 article “Norway’s Future Fighter Competition: A Norwegian View” offered in-depth coverage of the difficulties and controversies facing Lockheed Martin and the F-35 Lightning II team when marketing their 5th generation strike fighter in Norway. Since then, there have been some successes. The next milestone MoU was signed on January 31st, 2006, amidst industrial and missile deals designed to bring Norway on board – but as DID noted, the signing came with express statements that the country was keeping its options open.
The Kongsberg JSM missile deal, and the conditional composite structures deal, were designed to address the demand for stronger industrial participation by Norwegian defense industries. As I noted in my previous article, Norway threatened to back out of its partnership with the JSF program if Lockheed Martin could not make credible assurances in this area. Tom Burbage, Lockheed Martin Executive President and JSF Manager then made a personal visit to Norway; the deals followed, and Norway signed the MoU on December 31/07.
The controversy is by no means over, and will not be over until production contracts are signed. Nevertheless, Norway has made a decision. One whose aftermath continues to reverberate, within the country, the region, and beyond. The latest additions include revelations that the F-35A’s acquisition cost is higher than initial reports, followed by a very unusual public criticism of the Norwegian evaluation by Saab Group’s CEO – via a presentation that points to specific and serious faults…
- DID – Updates [updated]
- Appendix A: The Play of Politics
- Appendix B: The Defense Debate: Strike-Fighter or Interceptor?
- Appendix C: Analysis – Could JSF Really Lose in Norway?
- Additional Readings & Sources: Background
- Additional Readings & Sources: Norwegian Defense Experts Weigh In
- Additional Readings & Sources: Other News & Developments
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