The Norwegian Armed Forces announced that two of its F-35 fighter jets landed on Wednesday at Sola base as part of the disperses concept of the Royal Norwegian Air Force.
This development is in line with the dispersal concept of the Royal Norwegian Air Force, aiming to utilize multiple bases for operational flexibility beyond the primary Ørland base.
“Sola is precisely such a base, which also has some military infrastructure,” stated the Norwegian Armed Forces in an official statement.
Lockheed Martin, the manufacturer of the F-35, highlighted Norway’s partnership in the F-35 program, dating back to the System Development and Demonstration phase. The Norwegian government’s decision to replace the F-16 fleet with the F-35 was made in November 2008. The first F-35A for Norway was unveiled in September 2015 at a formal ceremony in Fort Worth, Texas.
Norway’s strategic plan involves expanding its F-35 fleet to 52 by 2025, with the retirement of all F-16s at that point.