Photo Of The Day: In 2008 the Norwegian government selected the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II (Joint Strike Fighter) as a replacement for their fleet of F-16s. Almost ten years after, in 2017, the first aircraft arrived at the Ørland Air Base and this is still the main base. In 2020 The Royal Norwegian Air Force conducted their first international deployment with the F-35 during NATO Air Policing missions in Iceland. Norway has seven F35s operational with a total of 52 planned.

The F-35A is a single-seat, single-engine, stealth, fifth-generation, multi-role combat aircraft ordered by several NATO allies. Here you can see one as it passes low over a soldier at Tarva firing range. The Heckler & Koch HK416N has some good camouflage to blend into the surroundings. Note the holstered Glock 17.

According to Wikipedia, the Pratt & Whitney F135 jet engine has demonstrated a maximum thrust of over 50,000 lbf (220 kN), making it the most powerful engine ever installed in a fighter aircraft as of 2010.

For more cool pictures of the F-35As, please check these articles: U.S. Air Force B-1B & B-2A bombers with Royal Norwegian Air Force F-35As and F-35A Combat Power Exercise.

Photo Source: Torbjørn Kjosvold / Forsvaret. Facts: F35.com