The Norwegian signature of the JSF Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been held back in order to achieve more tangible (industrial participation) agreements for Norwegian industry in the JSF programme. What has now been achieved in this respect is substantial enough to continue our participation in the multinational JSF collaboration. The signature entails that Norway will continue the participation in the JSF programme while maintaining competition between the three contenders to the potential new combat aircraft acquisition.

- We now believe that the industrial cooperation plans have become significantly more concrete, and based on an overall evaluation have therefore decided to move into the production phase. We have always been very explicit with regards to emphasizing the importance of industrial cooperation. I am also pleased that we have achieved our goal of maintaining competition between the three contenders and expect to have agreements on development cooperation with all three candidates before long, says Strøm-Erichsen.

Last December the Norwegian Government decided to continue with three candidates in the combat aircraft acquisition, and authorized the Minister of Defence to sign the JSF production agreement if the industrial cooperation potential improved. It was also decided to negotiate agreements on development cooperation with JAS Gripen and Eurofighter. The negotiations with JAS Gripen and Eurofighter which commenced early January 2007 are well on track. The signing of the JSF production phase agreement will take place shortly, but an exact date has yet to be decided.