The Norwegian signature of the JSF
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been held back in order to
achieve more tangible (industrial participation) agreements for
Norwegian industry in the JSF programme. What has now been achieved
in this respect is substantial enough to continue our participation
in the multinational JSF collaboration. The signature entails that
Norway will continue the participation in the JSF programme while
maintaining competition between the three contenders to the
potential new combat aircraft acquisition.
- We now believe that the
industrial cooperation plans have become significantly more
concrete, and based on an overall evaluation have therefore decided
to move into the production phase. We have always been very
explicit with regards to emphasizing the importance of industrial
cooperation. I am also pleased that we have achieved our goal of
maintaining competition between the three contenders and expect to
have agreements on development cooperation with all three
candidates before long, says Strøm-Erichsen.
Last December the Norwegian
Government decided to continue with three candidates in the combat
aircraft acquisition, and authorized the Minister of Defence to
sign the JSF production agreement if the industrial cooperation
potential improved. It was also decided to negotiate agreements on
development cooperation with JAS Gripen and Eurofighter. The
negotiations with JAS Gripen and Eurofighter which commenced early
January 2007 are well on track. The signing of the JSF production
phase agreement will take place shortly, but an exact date has yet
to be decided.
