Warplanes: June 22, 2002

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Norway has now signed on for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program. The F-35 is the largest ever Department of Defense procurement program (estimated total cost; $200 billion). The F-35 was thought to be in danger a year ago, with money short and the competing F-22 fighter program seen as more of a priority by the air force. But Afghanistan changed all that. Now, a stealthy, long range light bomber that can carry a lot of smart bombs (like the F-35) seems a better bet. Different versions of the F-35 carry between 6 and 8 tons of bombs.