KONGSBERG has signed a long-term agreement to provide maintenance and future upgrades for Norway’s F-35 fighter jets – a major step toward self-sufficiency in sustaining the fleet.

The agreement, signed between Kongsberg Aviation Maintenance Services and the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency, will cover up to 15 years and enhance operational readiness by allowing maintenance and modernization to take place in Norway.

The work will be conducted at KONGSBERG’s new facility in Rygge, in close cooperation with the Royal Norwegian Air Force.
It is noted that this will contribute to strengthening national experience and increasing the operational readiness of the Norwegian F-35 fleet.

The agreement is designed for a period of up to 15 years.

This 5,000-square-meter plant will complement an existing F135 engine maintenance and upgrade center, making Norway a key hub in the global F-35 sustainment network.

KONGSBERG has previously established a maintenance and upgrade center for the F-135 engine for the F-35 at the same site. With the commissioning of both plants, KONGSBERG will provide jobs for more than 200 people in Rigge, Norway.

“The establishment of a new maintenance depot in Norway will help retain the expertise and capacity that has been built up over several decades to carry out maintenance and upgrades of Norwegian fighter aircraft in line with the Armed Forces’ needs and priorities,” said Eirik Lie, President of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace.

Previously, medium-complexity maintenance on Norwegian F-35s was carried out in Cameri, Italy. The new facility will create over 200 jobs and help reduce reliance on external repair centers.

“With both airframe and engine depots located at Rygge, KONGSBERG gains a unique opportunity to realise synergies and secures a strong footprint within the global F-35 sustainment solution. This contract also contributes to job creation and local activity,” said André Jægtvik, President of Kongsberg Aviation Maintenance Services.

Norwegian F-35

The decision to purchase the F-35 as a replacement for the F-16 was made back in 2008. The first Norwegian F-35 flew in 2015, and in 2017 the first aircraft arrived at Orland Air Base.

In 2019, the Royal Norwegian Air Force announced that its F-35s had reached initial operational readiness, and the following year the fighters participated in a NATO airspace patrol mission for the first time.

Norway has already received 49 of the 52 F-35A fighters ordered, which are based at Erlann and Evenes air bases.

Norway has become the first country to start using blended biofuels to refuel F-35 fighters. For refueling fighters, it is allowed to use fuel that contains at least 50% conventional aviation fuel and up to 50% biofuel.

As the Norwegian Minister of Defense noted, the transition to partial use of biofuels is due not only to environmental considerations, but also to the desire to ensure independent production of blended fuel, reducing dependence on long supply chains.