Norway says to pay $2.54 bln for F-35s

OSLO Nov 20 (Reuters) - Norway will pay 18 billion Norwegian crowns ($2.54 billion) for new Lockheed Martin (LMT.N) F-35 fighter jets to replace ageing aircraft, a government spokesman said.

The price tag for a rival jet produced by Sweden's Saab (SAABb.ST) would have been 6 billion crowns higher, the government said in a statement.

NATO member Norway has earlier said it would buy 48 fighter planes to replace ageing F-16s in a deal that could be the single biggest defence purchase in Norwegian history.

(Reporting by Aasa Christine Stoltz and Terje Solsvik)