NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg plans to visit Lockheed Martin’s [LMT] F-35 Lightning II production plant in Fort Worth, Texas, on April 5 as part of a two-day visit to the United States, the Brussels-based alliance announced April 4.
While NATO did not specify a reason for the visit, many of the countries that are buying the new fighter jet are members of the transatlantic alliance. This includes Norway, for which Stoltenberg is a former prime minister.
Stoltenberg’s trip will also take him to several key military sites on April 6, including U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM) at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, where he is expected to discuss U.S. strategic forces and international security challenges with Air Force Gen. John Hyten, STRATCOM’s commander.
Stoltenberg will also meet participants in the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program at Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas. The program produces pilot for NATO air forces.
The secretary general will also visit the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado. He will be joined there by Harjit Sajjan, Canada’s defense minister.
Stoltenberg’s U.S. tour follows a two-day trip to Canada, including a visit to that country’s national defense headquarters in Ottawa.