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F-35?: not dawn yet
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In early 2005 Norway was being courted by Saab/BAE and EADS, and was considering a pull-out from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program over issues of industrial share. The Norwegian Government has just decided to continue participation in the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter’s System Design & Development program, and will pay the applicable NOK 114 million ($18.75 million at current conversion) in addition to the 429 million kroner that has already been paid. As DID reader Endre Lunde explains in his in-depth analysis today, the decision came after Lockheed Martin presented an improved package for Norwegian industry. Potential contracts of up to NOK 18-19 billion ($3 billion or so at current conversion) have been identified, but not guaranteed.

Used JAS-39s: Plan B?
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Norway’s Minister of Defence Anne-Grete Strom-Erichsen announced that this would suffice to go forward, but pointedly notes that Norway has not formally selected the fighter that will replace their 70 remaining F-16s with about 40-50 new aircraft….

Indeed, the release notes that there are now four potential candidates: Lockheed’s F-35A Joint Strike Fighter, EADS/BAE’s Eurofighter Typhoon, Saab/BAE’s JAS-39 Gripen, and Dassault’s Rafale.

• DID (May 21/07) – Norway Renews Eurofighter Development Agreement.

• DID (May 2/07) – Norway Signs Development Agreement for JAS-39N Gripen

• Norwegian Ministry of Defence (Jan 26/07) – Industripakkane i søkelyset. Includes presentations from the contenders.