Kongsberg to Set Up New F-35 Maintenance Depot in Norway

KONGSBERG, together with the Norwegian Armed Forces, will build a new depot in Rygge, Norway for the maintenance of airframes on the Norwegian F-35 combat aircraft.

KONGSBERG is investing about NOK 500 million ($47 million) in the new depot, which will be part of the global maintenance solution and contribute to strengthened national capabilities and increased operational availability of the Norwegian F-35 fleet, when the depot is completed in the second half of 2025.

Kongsberg Aviation Maintenance Services (KAMS) will be responsible for the construction and operation of the depot, which will carry out future maintenance, upgrades, modifications and improvements of the F-35 throughout the lifetime of the aircraft.

User maintenance of the F-35 will continue to be carried out by the Air Force at the main base in Ørland, while heavy maintenance work will be carried out at the regional depot in Cameri, Italy, in accordance with Norwegian obligations in the multinational F-35 programme.

Kongsberg Aviation Maintenance Services’ engine depot for maintenance and upgrading of F-135 engines to the F-35 has been in operation in Rygge since 2020. The work is done on behalf of Pratt & Whitney. The Rygge facility also carries out F-135 engine tests after maintenance work has been completed.

According to the F-35’s official website, every F-35 contains components manufactured by Norwegian industry. Norway provides key aircraft components including air-to-air pylons, rudder and vertical fin leading edges, carbon composite panels, and completed and coated horizontal and vertical tails. Since the program’s inception, 18 Norwegian companies have served as Tier 1 F-35 suppliers, with nine current and active Norwegian suppliers contributing to the program.

Kongsberg Aviation Maintenance Services was the first-ever Depot MRO Center for the F-16 program in October 2019.