As early as the beginning of this century, the United States was determined to build a fully stealth fighter air force, which has not been completed for various reasons. Recently, it was revealed that Norway realized this dream for the United States. According to reports, with the retirement of the last F-16, the Norwegian Air Force will lead the United States, China and Russia, becoming the world's first air force composed entirely of full stealth fighters. This time, Putin may usher in a stronger opponent.
We all know that Norway, as a member of NATO, is the most important air force deployed by NATO over Iceland. Because of its border with Russia, its main duty is to carry out surveillance and interception missions against the Russian Air Force. In addition, it is also necessary to find a suitable time to cooperate with NATO's air forces to encircle and intercept Russian fighters. It can be seen that Norway is only a small country, but it plays an indispensable role in restraining the Russian army. Therefore, Norway's air power construction has always been placed in a prominent position by NATO, and Norway has also been listed by the United States as a key concern country for the export of F-35 fighter jets.
Thanks to this background, the Norwegian Air Force has developed into an air force to be reckoned with in the Nordic region. Before the introduction of the F-35, the Norwegian Air Force was equipped with F-16A, F-16B fighters, P-3C, P-8A anti-submarine patrol aircraft, reconnaissance aircraft and other aircraft. It is reported that the F-35 fighter jets were purchased by Norway from the United States for $10 billion in 2018, and 24 have been delivered so far. Norway said all 52 stealth fighters could be fully operational in 2025.
So why is it that only Norway can be a tidalist in the air power? Are military powers such as the United States, China, and Russia really willing to bow to the wind? Where is the difference between Japan and South Korea? Not really.
You know, as a fifth-generation multi-purpose fighter, the F-35 has the advantages of cheapness, good performance, and large numbers of installations, and is much stronger than the F-16. However, there are also some problems, such as strict maintenance conditions, the inability to carry large weapons, and the actual amount of bombs in stealth. In contrast, the F-15EX fighter jet that the United States is using appears to be more cost-effective. Taken together, it may be wiser to use stealth and non-stealth fighters together. More importantly, compared with the United States, China, Russia and other major powers, the Norwegian Air Force is smaller and less demanding, making it easier to operate if it wants to achieve full stealth of fighters. In this way, it is also reasonable for Norway to take the lead in completing the comprehensive transformation of the fighter.
For Japan and South Korea, although the two countries have long been committed to achieving full stealth of air power, it is not easy to achieve this goal due to insufficient funding and the size of the air force. It is reported that Japan is fully upgrading the active F-15J fighter. Once successfully upgraded, it will become the main force of Japan's air war for a long time to come. It is worth mentioning that after Norway, Japan also ordered 105 F-35 fighters. But given Norway's priorities, these fighters will probably not be in place in recent years, so the full stealth of Japanese fighters still has a long way to go. This time Norway "dressed up", Japan is afraid that it is only envious. (Yifei)