Lankan Ranger
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Norway to Buy Four F-35 jets
The political opposition has reluctantly given the Government the go-ahead to purchase four F-35 fighter bombers to be used for training purposes. However, the total cost of the F-35 program is still uncertain.
“A joint opposition supports the purchase, but we are very critical to the way the Government has handled this,” says Dagfinn Høybråten, parliamentary leader of the Christian Democrats (KrF).
Norway is to purchase a total of 56 military aircraft F-35 from the US manufacturer Lockheed Martin. The Government has insisted that it is necessary to buy four planes already now, in order to begin training of pilots and support personnel.
“The aircraft deal is completely out of control. No one knows how much the total cost of the 56 aircraft will be”, says the right wing Progress Party's spokesman for defence, Peter N. Myhre.
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The government has decided to buy 56 American fighter jets called the F35 Lightning II, also known as Joint Strike Fighter. The jets were initially believed to cost NOK 18 billion (USD 3.3 billion) with delivery from 2016 to 2023, but costs seem to be going up and contracts won’t be signed until 2014. US officials also have complained that the F35 costs are rising, and that they are unclear.
State Auditor Jørgen Kosmo, a former defense minister himself for the Labour Party, agreed to probe the fighter jet deal if that’s what a majority in Parliament now want.
The conservative Progress Party, not usually in agreement with SV, also wants a re-examination of the costs of the F35s. Other parties are also skeptical, but not sure whether they should call for a probe by Riksrevisjon. The Conservative Party (Høyre) says it would violate parliamentary practice.
Norway to Buy Four F-35 Jet Fighters
The political opposition has reluctantly given the Government the go-ahead to purchase four F-35 fighter bombers to be used for training purposes. However, the total cost of the F-35 program is still uncertain.
“A joint opposition supports the purchase, but we are very critical to the way the Government has handled this,” says Dagfinn Høybråten, parliamentary leader of the Christian Democrats (KrF).
Norway is to purchase a total of 56 military aircraft F-35 from the US manufacturer Lockheed Martin. The Government has insisted that it is necessary to buy four planes already now, in order to begin training of pilots and support personnel.
“The aircraft deal is completely out of control. No one knows how much the total cost of the 56 aircraft will be”, says the right wing Progress Party's spokesman for defence, Peter N. Myhre.
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The government has decided to buy 56 American fighter jets called the F35 Lightning II, also known as Joint Strike Fighter. The jets were initially believed to cost NOK 18 billion (USD 3.3 billion) with delivery from 2016 to 2023, but costs seem to be going up and contracts won’t be signed until 2014. US officials also have complained that the F35 costs are rising, and that they are unclear.
State Auditor Jørgen Kosmo, a former defense minister himself for the Labour Party, agreed to probe the fighter jet deal if that’s what a majority in Parliament now want.
The conservative Progress Party, not usually in agreement with SV, also wants a re-examination of the costs of the F35s. Other parties are also skeptical, but not sure whether they should call for a probe by Riksrevisjon. The Conservative Party (Høyre) says it would violate parliamentary practice.
Norway to Buy Four F-35 Jet Fighters
