Aircraft

Sweden, USA table bids for Norwegian fighter contest

By Craig Hoyle

Lockheed Martin and Sweden's Defence Materiel Administration submitted their responses to Norway's 48-aircraft fighter request for proposals on 28 April, respectively offering the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and the Saab Gripen.

The latter offer includes a pledge from the Swedish government that its air force will operate the same advanced version of the Gripen as offered to Norway if its bid is accepted, with a joint logistics proposal also having been made to Oslo. An artists' impression of the type provided by Saab-led Gripen International includes MBDA's Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile and Kongsberg's developmental Joint Strike Missile - being developed primarily for carriage by the F-35.

© Gripen International

Norway is a Level 3 partner on the US-led JSF project, with its aircraft provisionally set for delivery between 2016 and 2020.

 

© Lockheed Martin