American F-35 program officials joined Norwegian defense officials for the rollout of Norway’s first completed F-35A at Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth, Texas, facility, according to a release. “We all know that the F-35 is not simply another fighter. We know that it is much more,” said Norwegian Defense Minister Ine Eriksen Soreide. “The F-35 provides us a capability we’ve never had before.” Frank Kendall, the US undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology, and logistics, thanked the people of Norway during the ceremony “for their persistence and their consistent support “ of the program. The plane will now move to Luke AFB, Ariz., while Norway’s training program is established. The country’s second F-35 is due to roll out of the factory this year, and a third will roll out next year, Lockheed said. Norway plans to buy 52 F-35s.
An important U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry AWACS command and control plane was among the aircraft damaged in a March 27 Iranian missile and drone attack on Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, people familiar with the matter told Air & Space Forces Magazine.