A major step in Finland’s air force modernisation was marked in the United States with the public rollout of the country’s first F 35A Lightning II fighter aircraft.
The ceremony took place at Lockheed Martin’s production facility in Fort Worth, Texas, near Fort Worth Alliance Airport. Senior political and military leaders from Finland and the United States attended the event, which officially introduced the aircraft destined for the Finnish Air Force.
The rollout is part of Finland’s largest defence procurement programme, under which the country has ordered 64 F 35A fighter jets. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2026, when Finland plans to start initial flight operations, training, and familiarisation.
The F 35A fleet will replace Finland’s ageing fighter aircraft and is expected to significantly enhance air combat capability. The platform offers advanced survivability, sensor fusion, and network based operations designed to perform in northern European environments.
Finnish defence officials have said the aircraft meets national requirements for deterrence and joint operations. The F 35A is designed to integrate closely with Finland’s air, land, sea, space, and cyber forces, improving coordination across all domains.
Full operational capability will be achieved gradually as more aircraft are delivered and pilots and ground crews complete conversion training. Once inducted, the jets will strengthen Finland’s role within NATO’s northern flank.
The F 35 is already operated by several allied air forces, allowing Finland to share tactics, logistics, and mission data with partner nations. A total of 20 countries have selected the F 35, including 13 in Europe, making it a central element of allied air power.
Finland’s defence industry is also gaining from the programme. More than 30 Finnish companies and academic institutions are involved in industrial participation agreements linked to the F 35 supply chain. These partnerships focus on manufacturing, maintenance, and technology development.
Globally, the F 35 programme includes over 1,900 suppliers. More than 1,270 aircraft are currently in service worldwide, with the fleet exceeding 1 million flight hours across 50 bases.
With 64 aircraft on order, Finland is set to operate the largest F 35 fleet in northern Europe, reinforcing long term defence capability, alliance integration, and industrial growth.
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