Forum: Program and politics

Norway upbeat on F-35; Florida test flight set Mar 5, 2012 By Andrea Shalal-Esa

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/ ... 06?rpc=401

"...Defense State Secretary Roger Ingebrigsten said on Monday that Norway was finalizing its plans to buy "approximately 50 fighters," but did not expect any significant cost increases to its order....

..."We think that we are going to pay close to what we said we would in 2008," Ingebrigsten told Reuters by telephone after returning from his U.S. visit. "The main approach will be the same as it has been since 2008."

He declined to provide details ahead of the Norwegian government's submission to parliament in two weeks. Previous plans called for Norway to buy 56 aircraft for 61 billion Norwegian crown ($10.89 billion), in undiscounted 2011 crowns, or 72 billion crowns when a greater contingency is counted....

...TEST SITE, FIRST FLIGHT
Ingebrigsten led a Norwegian delegation to Edwards Air Force Base in California last week to visit one of two key test sites for the new fighter.

"I haven't been so optimistic related to the F-35 ... for a long time," Ingebrigsten said....

...He praised U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and his deputy, Ashton Carter, who made a brief appearance at the meeting, for their willingness to be transparent about the program, and said U.S-Norwegian bilateral ties were strong.

The member countries will finalize their purchase plans ahead of a formal military-level March 14-15 meeting in Australia of representatives from all nine countries...."

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Edwards AFB PR release:

"3/7/2012 - EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Team members from the Air Force Flight Test Center and the Joint Strike Fighter Integrated Test Force welcomed Norwegian representatives for a visit here Feb. 28 and 29 to provide Norwegian media and Norwegian military officials access to the F-35 Lightning II in order to learn about the aircraft....

With Norway's current discussions of the F-35 program in Norway, the visit to Edwards was extremely important as explained by Kvarving.

"Right now we're in the process where the Norwegian government is about to make a recommendation to their parliament as far as how many F-35s we want to buy and where we should base these aircraft. That recommendation is about to four to five weeks out and this is a major issue in Norwegian media and a major issue in the Norwegian public," said Kvarving. "Today was of great value and a great opportunity to visit Edwards Air Force Base and give people a chance to see it firsthand.""

http://www.edwards.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123292617

My local newspaper in nordern Norway had a series of pictures from this visit, where some were unusual angles.

http://www.lofotposten.no/lokale_nyheter/article5962426.ece

Thanks lamoey...Those are some good unique photos.

Being from a sales industry, always good to see the representatives make a presentation of the product to show the decision makers the value of a product to their own interests. In the commercial world, nothing on the market is classified from a capabilty standpoint (or at least for very long). In national security matters, nobody in the public domain has any idea of the true tactical or strategic capabilities of this aircraft. Naysayers will point out discrepencies of maybe KPP requirements, without even knowing the overall value of the aircraft's ability to meet the required doctrine. Naysayers will lament the overall lack of progress while their own nationalistic programs went through or are still going through growing pains.

As far as development goes, I remember reading "Naval Proceedings" back in the early-mid 80's, always featuring adds for the C-17. Years and years go by and I kept thinking to myself, what is taking so long! Observers in the US would lament the lack of progress. Well, 20 years later we had a true workhorse that is proficient and at the top of the game for decades to come.

Personally, I think they are "trying to do too much too soon" with the aircraft. I would of preferered a more incremental approach..but with so many overlapping factors of sensor and software development to meet the overall objective, without these the aircraft may not be transformational. If the F-35 can areodynamically tactically perform at a 4G level with inherent stealth, ie perform at an F-16 level, I would be pleased as punch. The sensor integration will only sweet'n the pie. Nobody without clearance really knows anything about the potential value of the product.

Unfortunately, most nationalistic political leaders and media cannot see beyond today without consideration of their own political interests. Heck, they cannot even see "today". The F-35 could be the F-16 of the 21st century, or perish on the whims of political, national fiscal policy or corporate incompetence. It may take time, but the engineering will be where it needs to be.

I'm also in support of the F-35A. Hopfully we get the QRA forward base right here in my hometown Andøya Airbase, home the our 333 Sq P3C Orion.

I do not care how the F-35A handles in a close dogfight as compaird to our current F-16.
F-35A have more important advantage with longer legs and better SA(Situational Awareness). Thats good enough for me.

It will be interesting to see what numbers we settle on though..

Forum: Program and politics

Norway upbeat on F-35 (50 on order perhaps)