Kongsberg Aviation Maintenance Services and the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency have signed a new contract to address the maintenance and future upgrade needs of Norway’s F-35 fleet.
The agreement will last up to 15 years and will see the construction of a new facility where Kongsberg will perform maintenance, upgrades, modifications and enhancements. The 5,000-square-meter site in Rygge, south of Oslo, will complement the company’s depot for F-135 engines in the same location. Kongsberg said the goal is to supplement the global F-35 sustainment system while strengthening national expertise and increasing the operational availability for the Norwegian F-35s.
“The establishment of a new maintenance depot in Norway will help retain the expertise and capacity that has been built up over several decades to carry out maintenance and upgrades of Norwegian fighter aircraft in line with the Armed Forces’ needs and priorities,” Eirik Lie, president of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, said in a statement.
Meanwhile, André Jægtvik, president of Kongsberg Aviation Maintenance Services, highlighted the potential collaboration between the airframe and engine depots at Rygge. He also pointed out that the contract would positively contribute to creating local jobs, with the two facilities expected to employ over 200 people.
This development follows a $239 million deal to supply the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System with Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace’s multi-missile canister launchers and fire distribution centers. Last month, the company launched its first satellite via SpaceX, initiating a constellation designed to enhance Norway’s maritime surveillance capabilities under a contract with the Norwegian Armed Forces.