Norway To Order Five Boeing P-8A Poseidon For $1.1 Billion To Replace Orion, Falcon Aircraft

Norway plans to order five P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to replace its current fleet of six P-3 Orion and three DA-20 Falcon aircraft for $1.15 billion.

The move is to maintain its surveillance capacity and meet future security challenges, Norwegian Defence Ministry was quoted as saying by Reuters Monday.

"The new security situation increases our demand for situational awareness in our own vicinity. The ability to handle current and future challenges must therefore be strengthened," Defence Minister Ine Eriksen Soereide said.

"The introduction of the Poseidon aircraft is crucial for Norway to maintain a leading position and expertise on strategic conditions in northern areas," she said in the statement released late on Friday. The statement did not specifically mention Russia.

Norway's long maritime border with neighbouring Russia has become a renewed focus for the country's military planners following the Russian annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region. Norway's territorial waters also stretch far into the Arctic.

The aircraft are expected to be delivered in 2021 and 2022. Norway will also buy related intelligence equipment, the ministry said.