Military

U.S. Department of Defense Press Operations News Release

Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook provided the following readout:

Today, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter met with Norwegian Minister of Defense Ine Eriksen Søreide. The meeting took place on Secretary Carter's plane en route from Joint Base Andrews to Norfolk, Virginia, where Secretary Carter and Minister Eriksen Søreide visited naval facilities including a tour of the visiting Norwegian ship Marjata IV. This was their third meeting.

Secretary Carter and Minister Eriksen Søreide reaffirmed the very close working relationship that the United States and Norway share within NATO and discussed increasing security challenges along NATO's northern flank. Secretary Carter thanked Minister Eriksen Søreide for Norway's commitment to international security, including significant contributions to Afghanistan, the counter-ISIL campaign, and Baltic Air Policing mission. They also discussed Tuesday's rollout of the first of Norway's 52 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters purchased from the United States.

http://www.defense.gov/News/News-Releases/News-Release-View/Article/618380/