syltzu
23.01.07, 06:53
Norwegia podjęła decyzję o przystąpieniu do fazy produkcyjnej programu JSF chociaż nie podjęła jeszcze decyzji co do ostatecznego zakupu tych samolotów. Nadal chcą negocować z Gripen International i Eurofighterem, zapewne by uzyskać jeszcze większe korzyści od Amerykanów. Wydaje się jednak, że ostatecznie sprawa jest przesądzona - wybiorą F-35.
Pozdrawiam.
Norway to sign up for JSF production phase
Mon Jan 22, 2007 7:40am ET
OSLO, Jan 22 (Reuters) - Norway will agree to participate in the production phase for the Joint Strike Fighter but has not yet committed to buying the U.S. combat jet and will also pursue talks with two other manufacturers, officials said on Monday.
Also called the F-35, the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is a Lockheed Martin-led (LMT.N: Quote, Profile , Research) programme to build fighters for the United States, Britain, Norway and six other partner nations.
NATO member Norway is considering buying the JSF to replace ageing F-16s. The government has not fixed a number of planes to be purchased, but defence officials have recommended buying 48.
Norway is also continuing talks with the manufacturers of Sweden's JAS Gripen and the multinational Eurofighter, as announced in mid-December.
"Defence Minister Anne-Grete Stroem-Erichsen has decided to sign a production agreement for the Joint Strike Fighter programme," the defence ministry said in a statement.
"Progress has also been made in the work on development agreements with the two other candidates for the fighter purchase, JAS Gripen and Eurofighter," it added.
The JAS Gripen is made by a consortium of Swedish defence group Saab (SAABb.ST: Quote, Profile , Research) and Britain's BAE Systems (BA.L: Quote, Profile , Research). The Eurofighter is built by a consortium of BAE Systems, EADS (EADS.PA: Quote, Profile , Research) and Italy's Finmeccanica (SIFI.MI: Quote, Profile , Research).
The ministry said the JSF production agreement could be signed, because progress had been made in securing offset deals for Norwegian industry.
"We see that the plans for industrial cooperation have become much more concrete, so we choose after a total assessment to go further with the production phase," Stroem-Erichsen said in the statement.
Norway's discussions with SAAB and EADS on development cooperation for the two other rival jets began at the start of January and are well under way, the ministry said.
"The signing of the production agreement for the JSF will take place shortly, but a time has not been set," it said.
Š Reuters 2007
