Norway this year will receive its first six Lockheed Martin F-35A Joint Strike Fighters from the United States as part of a military build-up to defy increasing Russian provocations along their common border.

Three of the six stealth fighters are expected to arrive in Norway in November with the three others going to Luke Air Force Base in Arizona. Luke is the U.S. center for training international partners for the F-35. Norway already has four F-35As at Luke.

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Norway has speeded-up acquisition of the F-35 in the face of relentless Russian threats. The latest, and most ominous threat, was hurled in October 2016 when Russia said Norway was now a target for its nuclear missiles after Norway agreed to the rotation of U.S. Marines out of a military base close to the border with Russia.

Also drawing Russian ire was Norway's decision early in that month to fund the purchase of 12 more F-35As under a so-called block buy beginning in 2019. Norway plans to buy a total of 52 F-35As.

If the request for a bulk buy is authorized, Norway will become the first F-35 customer to enter into such a contracting arrangement. Norway is one of five European countries buying the F-35. The others are the United Kingdom; Italy, the Netherlands and Denmark.

Norway's Ministry of Defense plans to scrap its 56 F-16 Fighting Falcons starting at the end of 2021. The ministry said the F-16s will still be operated until 2021, however.

Norwegian fighter pilots over the age of 40 have been barred from re-training on the F-35  to make sure the F-16 has a dedicated pilot core until it is fully retired.

Most of the F-35 fleet will be hosted at the Royal Norwegian Air Force's Ørland Main Air Station, located at the mouth of the Trondheimsfjord in the municipality of Ørland in the center of Norway.

Others will be based at the more northern Evenes air base to protect Norway's fleet of Boeing P-8 Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft. 

TagsNorway, Lockheed Martin F-35A Joint Strike Fighters, United States, Russia, Royal Norwegian Air Force