[Savage]

After hard pressure from USA, Norway has decided to contine the JSF program, and may be tried forced to buy the Joint Strike Fighters.

Norway is a socalled level 3 partner. GB is today USA`s only level 1 partner, while Netherland and Italy are on level 2. Other level 3 countries are Denmark, Turkey, Australia and Canada.
The level determines how much insight that are allowed in the project, the infuence on it, and the national contracts for sub producers, and also how high one are priorized in the delievery process. The first planes are expected to be delivered in 2011.

The descition does not mean that Norway nescessarily will choose the JSF. There are today 4 candidates to choose from, the US JSF, the swedish JAS 39 Gripen, the french Rafaele and Eurofighter Typhoon. The latter is a consortium between Germany, Italy, Spain and GB.

The investment will be the largest Norwegian investment ever, and the amount are estimated to about 40 millard 2005 Nok, or more than 5 milliard 2005 Euros.

Of course a development like the scheduled binds our dependence too close to USA/England/Israel.

More from source