F-35 Upgrades Delayed, Forcing Norway to Adjust Plans
Oslo, Norway – Norway must revise it’s plans for upgrading its fleet of F-35 fighter jets due to significant delays in the delivery of key updates from the United States, according to a report from the Defense Forum. the Block 4 upgrade, initially slated for completion in 2026, is now expected in 2029, and a recent U.S. Department of Defense assessment indicates full delivery of the upgrades may not occur until the mid-2030s.
The upgrades aren’t a single package, but rather a series of phased machine and software improvements rolled out over several years, explains Endre Lunde, special Advisor at Defense Materials. ”These updates are not delivered as a package, but consist of a series of machine and software updates to be delivered step by step over a period of several years,” Lunde wrote to The Defense Forum.
Despite the delay, Lunde confirmed the postponement will not impact the integration of new weaponry, including the Norwegian Joint Strike Missile. However, Norwegian defense officials are closely monitoring the situation. ”Still, this is something we are watching closely, as the plans here are still not final, and there may thus be adjustments that we will have to take into account,” Lunde stated.
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