While the F-35 fighter jets have been operational with other weapon systems since 2019, the arrival of the JSM introduces a newly developed capability to enhance combat effectiveness. “Marking the delivery of a complete F-35 fleet alongside the reception of the first JSM missiles demonstrates a working method we will see more of in the future as a result of technological development – continuous capacity enhancement,” said Gro Jære.
Norway’s acquisition of the F-35, the country’s largest defence procurement to date, was approved by Parliament in 2009, with the first training aircraft delivered to Luke Air Force Base in the United States in autumn 2015. The initial serial deliveries to Ørland followed in November 2017, marking the beginning of a new era for Norwegian air power.
To date, Lockheed Martin has produced approximately 1,150 F-35 aircraft, which are stationed across 48 bases worldwide, and the global F-35 fleet has accumulated over one million flight hours. Norway is the first of the 20 F-35 partner nations to receive all its planned aircraft, a feat built upon millions of working hours across the entire defence sector.
“There is good reason to be proud of what has been achieved so far, through excellent cooperation within the sector, with the Armed Forces, FFI, Forsvarsbygg, the Ministry of Defence, other nations, and both Norwegian and international industry,” said Jære. She underlined the collective effort that made the early completion possible.
The F-35 is not merely a replacement for the F-16, but a next-generation fighter aircraft offering the Armed Forces operational capabilities previously unavailable. The jets are specially designed to operate against modern air defence systems such as those currently seen in Ukraine, an ability deemed crucial for defending both Norway and its allies.
A significant portion of the fighter procurement investment has been allocated to new, advanced weapon systems, which, combined with the F-35’s sophisticated sensors, will allow the Armed Forces to detect and engage targets with greater accuracy, including well-defended targets at long range. One of these systems is the JSM, developed by Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (KDA) in close cooperation with the NDMA and the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI).
This collaboration is a clear example of how close cooperation between the defence sector and industry can produce world-class products. International interest in the missile is strong, with the United States, Australia, and Japan already deciding to procure the JSM in addition to Norway.
“Joint Strike Missile is the result of one of the largest and most comprehensive Norwegian weapons programmes ever,” said Jære. “The missile delivered today is therefore something quite special in both Norwegian and international defence history.”
Source: NDMA.
