Luftforsvaret (Royal Norwegian Air Force, RNoAF) will retire all of its F-16AM/BM MLU Fighting Falcon fighters this year, operating only the F-35A Lightning II as a fighter vector from 2022.
Detailing its budget for next year, the Norwegian Defense Ministry said the Air Force will have 34 F-35 stealth fighters by the end of 2021, with 24 aircraft based in the country and the remaining 10 in the United States for pilot training. . The budget proposal stated that from 2022, the only fixed-wing fighter in service would be the F-35A, making clear the country's intention to retire its F-16s.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Defense confirmed the fact to the portal. Key.Aero, stating that the fighters would be ready for sale before Christmas, with the F-35s fully assuming operational responsibilities. F-16s that are not in conditions for sale will be scrapped and sources told the portal that Romania would be interested in acquiring up to two squadrons of F-16s from Norway.
It is also possible that the fighters are sold to civil companies, as happened with the Dutch F-16.
Norway was one of the first countries in Europe to acquire the F-16, ordering 74 F-16A/B fighters in 1975 to replace its F-104 Starfighter. The purchase was made in partnership with Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark.
Of the more than 70 aircraft acquired, 56 were upgraded through the MLU (Mid-Life Upgrade), moving to the AM/BM standard. Today, the RNoAF operates around 53 fighters. In 2008 the Norwegian Government chose the F-35 to replace its F-16s.
Oslo also revealed that it plans to complete the purchase of the 52 F-35s in 2024. However, the delivery of the aircraft is expected to be delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In total, six aircraft will be delivered in 2021: the first batch of three planes will arrive in the country at the end of the summer (in the northern hemisphere), with the second batch scheduled for December of this year.
Between 2022 and 2024, 18 F-35As will be delivered at a rate of six aircraft per year, although each is likely to be two to four months behind the established production schedule.
