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Norway F-16 - Agile Falcon / Harvest Partner

In 1970, Norway started looking for a replacement for its aging fleet of F-104 Starfighters. On July 21, 1975, Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Denmark ordered the F-16. Together, they formed the European consortium that was to build the F-16 under license. Norway acquired 72 F-16s from the Netherlands' Fokker production line between January 1980 and June 1984. The first Fighting Falcon for the Royal Norwegian Air Force took off on its maiden flight on December 12, 1979.

The Agile Falcon program involved the US, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and the Netherlands (original F-16 coproduction participants) in an effort to codevelop the next generation F-16. Norway was one of the four European Participating Governments in the 1975 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the U.S. The MOU specified a 58% coproduction target. The LOA signed in 1977, Harvest Partner IV, called for the purchase of 72 F-16A/B aircraft at a costs of $1.3 billion. Harvest Partner IV deliveries began in January 1980, and were completed in June 1984. In January 1984, a second LOA, Harvest Partner VII called for the sale of two F-16B aircraft at a cost of $26.3 million. Harvest Partner VII aircraft were delivered in July 1989.

On October 28, 1999 the Government of Norway requested a possible purchase of 30 F-16 Block 60 or F-16 Block 50+ aircraft. All aircraft will be configured with either the F100-PW-229A or F110-GE-129 EFE engine; the APG-68 (V)XN, APG-68(V)XM; or Agile Beam Radar with Electronically scanned antenna; three F100-PW-229A or F110-GE-129 EFE spare engines, and the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System. Associated support equipment, software development/integration, spare and repair parts, flight test instrumentation, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. Government and contractor technical and logistics personnel services, and other related requirements to ensure full program supportability will also be provided. The estimated cost is $2.6 billion.

This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by improving the military capabilities of Norway and enhancing weapon system standardization and interoperability of this important NATO ally.

These aircraft are required to replace aircraft lost to attrition or have passed their useful service life. Since they are not increasing the overall size of their Air Force and are buying a system that is 85-90 percent compatible with their current F-16 fleet, Norway should have no problem absorbing these articles into their inventory. These aircraft will provide Norway with a more advanced capability than the aircraft that are being replaced.

Norway's F-16s are to receive modifications in order to enable them to stay in service, with new wings increasing the lifespan of the planes by 10 years. The 57 F-16s are expected to be remain in service until 2023, with the arrival of the new F-35 aircraft expected to begin in 2018. By the end of 2011 the air force had changed the wings on 20-25 of the planes and needed to replace the wings on the rest. This was not the first time that the F-16’s had received upgrades. The engines were replaced in the 1990’s. Most of the instruments have also been modernised.

By 2010 over half of Norway’s 57 aircraft are hangared for maintenance, modernisation, or rebuilds on a rolling basis, according to Aftenposten. there’s a shortage of qualified Norwegian technicians, meaning that specialists have to be imported from the Netherlands. Parts can also take up to two years to arrive at the air force base in Bodø.

The Norwegian Air Force's F-16 fighter jets will be equipped with new wings in order to function until the new F35 jets arrive. With new wings in 2014, the planes will be able to operate for another 10 years. By 2023 all the F-16 jets are expected to have been retired.

Norway is planning to acquire up to 52 F-35As in the years leading up to 2025. The F-35 will replace Norway's current fleet of F-16 fighters, which date back to the early 1980s, but Norwegian Minister of Defense Ms. Ine Eriksen Søreide stressed that the new aircraft are far more than simply an F-16-replacement.

"Our new combat aircraft will provide the Armed Forces with a number of new capabilities that we have never had before. In particular, the F-35 when equipped with the Norwegian Joint Strike Missile will ensure that we will be able to target and defeat even well defended targets at extended distances with very high precision. This will strengthen our ability to deter any potential opponent. The F-35 is also more able to support other parts of the Armed Forces than our current aircraft, and it will also be able to operate in areas which would be too dangerous for the F-16," said the minister.

On 04 November 2022, Norway announced that the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (NDMA) had signed a contract with Romania for the sale of 32 Norwegian F-16 aircraft. The deal included 32 aircraft along with spare parts and support equipment, as well as maintenance and technical training services. Under the contract all aircraft are to undergo necessary maintenance and aircraft modification to M6.5.2 Romanian configuration with US support prior to delivery, currently scheduled for 2023-24. This work it to be conducted by Norwegian industry, which is to also provide training and other logistical services to support the long-term availability of the aircraft.