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Weeks 5-6: New Hercules
The Norwegian government are debating whether or nor to get new Hercules C-130J transport aircrafts.
| | TIRED: Today’s C-130H Hercules requires much work and will need to be replaced eventually. (Photo by Øystein Paulsen) |
The Armed Forces have six C-130H Hercules transport aircrafts today. These were bought in 1969 and are outdated. Recent updates have made them able to be operational until 2012-15, but it is now known that the planes need further work done to them still.
Therefore the Norwegian government has started investigating the possibility of either renting or buying up to four new planes of the type Hercules C-130J.
Armed vehicles to Afghanistan
Five IVECO light multirole vehicles were sent to the Norwegian forces in Afghanistan at the end of last week.
| | IVECO: These vehicles will provide security to Norwegian soldiers in Afghanistan. (Photo by Fredrik B. Olsen) |
Until now there have been no Norwegian light armoured vehicles in Afghanistan. The new cars can carry up to 540 kilos and reach a speed of 120 kilometres per hour.
Unmanned planes
The Armed Forces received the first unmanned planes this summer. They will collect information where it is to much of a risk to send human personnel.
| | TESTS: Rolf Lund from the Norwegian Battlelab and Experimentation (NOBLE) sends the plane into the air. (Photo by NOBLE) |
The Mini Unmanned Aerial Systems (MUAS) have gone through extensive testing, and will aid ground forces in effective intelligence searching.
Frigate Nansen in the North
The new frigate Fridtjof Nansen has been further north than ever to test it capability to operate in Arctic waters.
| | NORTH: KNM Fridtjof Nansen, here flanked by two Norwegian F-16s, is on its way north to the Barents Sea and Bjørnøya. (Photo by 333. Squadron) |
The frigate has also been able to operate jointly with the Coast Guard and F-16s from Bodø which has been an important exercise.
JSF deal signed
Defence minister Anne-Grete Strøm Erichsen signed the production deal which means Norway is still part of the Joint Strike Fighter project.
| | SIGNED: Norway is still in after Strøm-Erichsen signed the deal. (Photo by Per Arne Juvang) |
Norway is the seventh country which has signed the deal. The others are the US, Great Britain, Australia, Holland, Turkey and Canada.
“This deal will be the foundation for acquiring, operating and future development of the JSF if this is the fighter candidate we will eventually choose,” said the Minister of Defence.
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