Finland’s first F-35A Lightning II has completed final assembly and been rolled out from Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth facility in Texas.
In Lockheed’s shared photos on social media, the JF-501 airframe appears in a mint-green primer coating before it is set to receive the F-35’s distinct low-observable, radar-absorbent medium gray paint scheme.
Its official unveiling is scheduled for mid-December. Following that, the first eight F-35As will be initially stationed at the Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith, Arkansas, where Finnish Air Force (Ilmavoimat) pilots and personnel will undergo practical training.
Meanwhile, completed jets from the JF-509 onwards will be delivered directly to Finland.
The Finnish Air Force will operate its F-35A fleet from two main bases: the Lapland Air Wing in Rovaniemi by 2026 and the Karelia Air Wing at Rissala Air Base by 2028.
Finnish F-35s
The Finnish government announced its decision to acquire 64 F-35A aircraft and related support services in December 2021, choosing the US’ Lockheed Martin over proposals from Boeing, France’s Dassault, Saab of Sweden, and the Eurofighter consortium of the UK, Germany, Italy, and Spain.
The $9.4-billion deal was formalized in February 2022.
Deliveries are scheduled from 2026 to 2030, when the F-35s are expected to fully replace the Finnish Air Force’s aging F/A-18 Hornet fleet, and remain in service until the 2060s.
In addition, Finland procured up to 150 AGM-88G Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missiles-Extended Range (AARGM-ER) for approximately $500 million. The munitions are expected to be delivered in line with the F-35A’s deployment timeline.
Helsinki also tapped the Finnish defense industry for its F-35 program, with Patria responsible for manufacturing and maintaining key components, ensuring local expertise and long-term support for the fleet.
