New Norwegian jet fighters for Barents Sea
Norwegian defence authorities admit that the new fleet of jet fighters will have the Barents Sea and the High North as top priority area. Norway intends to buy more than 30 new fighter aircrafts. The alternatives are either the Swedish JAS Gripen or the US Joint Strike Fighter
Swedish and US defence representatives yesterday officially handed over their bids to Norwegian Minister of Defence Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen.
In the following press conference, Minister Strøm-Erichsen highlighted that security developments in the High North is a prime operation area for the new aircraft fleet.
-We need a combat aircraft that can meet the particular requirements of a country where few people live on a large territory, with vast sea areas to look after, and with many of its key interests related to the security developments in the high north, she said.
In an interview to NRK Radio, later the same day, state secretary Espen Barth Eide, also admitted that the aircraft will have to meet the special challenges in the High North and the Barents Sea, where Russian defence activities are picking pace, and where major industrial projects are under development.
Read Minister Strøm-Erichsen’s speech at the press conference at Regjeringen.no (in English)
