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JSF: US pressure on Norway Source

The fight to acquire the contract for new jet fighters with the Norwegian Air Force is getting tougher, NRK reports. Lockheed Martin says Norway will weaken its alliance with the US, if it does not choose their Joint Strike Fighter (JSF).

The Norwegian Defence authorities have over the past weeks met with all producers of jet fighters, in order to better compare their offers of sub-contracts to Norwegian industry.

Four producers in all are competing for the NOK billion contract for the delivery of new fighterbombers to the Norwegian Air Force, when the old F-16 jet fighters will be scrapped in a few years.

The choice is still between the Swedish JAS Gripen, the Eurofighter, the French Dassault Rafale and the US Joint Strike Fighter (JSF).

Norway has so far invested NOK 550 million in the joint development program for the JSF, together with 8 other nations and Lockheed Martin.

- It would send unfortunate political signals to the US, if Norway would pull out of the JSF cooperation, says Lockheed Martin director Kevin Dwyer in an interview with NRK Radio.

- We have been allies with Norway for quite a while. Some times friends disagree, and that is all right. But it is important to stick together at critical moments, Dwyer says.

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