In a significant milestone for the F-35 program, Norway has completed its order of 52 F-35A aircraft, becoming the first partner nation to do so. This development marks a new chapter in the country’s defense capabilities, as announced by Lockheed Martin, the aircraft’s manufacturer.
The final delivery of these aircraft coincides with the launch of a new maintenance center in Rygge, Norway. This facility, spanning 5,000 square meters, will handle the maintenance and future upgrades for the F-35, with operations managed by Kongsberg Aviation Maintenance Services and the Norwegian Defense Materiel Agency. Previously, Norway relied on the Italian maintenance hub in Cameri for intermediate-level upkeep of its F-35s.
Establishing a local maintenance center marks a strategic move for Norway. According to a Kongsberg statement, this initiative allows Norway to independently manage its aircraft maintenance, thereby strengthening supply chains and enhancing operational readiness.
Concerns have been raised in Europe about the influence the United States could exert over global F-35 operations, especially since the election of U.S. President Donald Trump. Speculations about a potential “kill-switch” controlled by Washington have been dispelled by Lockheed executives, who emphasize the aircraft’s design as a reassuring U.S.-backed system for client nations.
Endre Lunde, a special adviser to the Norwegian Defense Materiel Agency, highlighted the complexities of F-35 spare parts logistics. Parts are typically U.S. property until installed on a nation’s jets, and even components made by Norwegian firms for the F-35 follow this pattern. “They do so as subcontractors of the F-35 prime contractors,” Lunde explained in an email to Defense News.
Instances of spare parts being transferred between F-35 nations are rare, with Lunde noting that parts “leaving Norway have been when they are shipped back to the U.S. for repair and replacement.”
Mediterranean Operations
On March 24, a U.S. F-35 from the UK landed at the Cameri air base in Italy, becoming the first American jet to undergo maintenance at this facility. Funded by Italy and managed by the firm Leonardo, the Cameri hub is a collaboration with Lockheed Martin and the F-35 Joint Program Office. It has already serviced F-35s from Italy, Norway, and the Netherlands.
Dubbed the F-35 Euro-Mediterranean Airframe Depot, the center coexists with a final assembly line for the jet, handling sensitive assembly tasks like anti-radar coatings. As European F-35 fleets expand, Cameri remains the sole site in Europe for heavy maintenance, enhancing cooperation between Europe and the U.S.
Capt. Sigfrido Chiandussi from the F-35 Joint Program Office highlighted Italy’s investment in the facility, calling it “significant” for regional security and prosperity.
Securing Supply Chains
F-35 nations, including Norway, maintain national stockpiles of spare parts to ensure operational independence during crises. This “security of supply” strategy sees Norway investing in distinct spare parts packages to support independent aircraft operation.
Similarly, the Netherlands, which will soon have over 50 F-35s, plays a key role in logistics as Woensdrecht Air Base acts as a global distribution hub for F-35 parts. Court documents reveal that these hubs store U.S. supplied parts, remaining U.S. property until fitted onto an F-35.
The Netherlands’ participation in the F-35 program since 2001 has seen Dutch companies contributing to components like airframe parts and radar systems.
Norway also prepares for scenarios where it may need to operate the aircraft without central maintenance access, according to Lunde. Finland, with its order of 64 F-35s, has a similar readiness strategy, with national control over spare parts reserves to ensure continued operations.
