While they remain stagnant, Finland has taken a decisive step in the . The Nordic country has officially started the transition to a fleet of 64 fighters F-35A fifth generationa move that strengthens NATO’s northern flank and places one of the world’s most advanced fighter aircraft just a few hundred kilometers from the Russian border.
The first device has already flown in Texas and marks the beginning of a program that will change the air balance in the Baltic and the Arctic.
The first F-35A of the Finnish Air Force, identified by tail number JF-501was presented on December 16 at the Lockheed Martin facility in Fort Worth. With this act, Helsinki certifies its jump from veterans F/A-18 Hornetacquired in the nineties, to a platform designed to operate in high-threat environments and fully integrated with NATO allies.
Of the Hornet to the fifth generation
Until now Finland operated a fleet of 64 F/A-18C/D Hornetwith deliveries made between 1995 and 2000. Those aircraft, partly assembled in the country itself by the state-owned company Patria, have been the backbone of Finnish air defense for decades. But the geopolitical context has changed, and in what way, with much greater military demands.
The replacement by F-35A It is not just a technical relief. It represents entry into a combat architecture shared with other allied countries. who already use the same plane, from Norway to Italy or the United Kingdom. In the words of the Finnish Ministry of Defense, this is an investment designed for the coming decades and aligned with the Alliance’s operational standards.
Local industry and strategic autonomy
The program also has a strong industrial dimension. Patria will once again play a key role, this time with the structural assembly of components of the F-35 in a new plant located near Nokia City.
The global contract, valued at around 9.6 billion dollars (about 8.15 billion euros), also includes the creation of an engine maintenance center in Finland. F135the heart of the fighter.
It’s plan not only guarantees employment and technological transfer, but also gives Finland long-term maintenance capacityreducing foreign dependence in a scenario of prolonged crisis. For a country with more than 1,300 kilometers of border with Russia, logistical autonomy is not a minor detail.
Deterrence on the northern flank
Military and geopolitical, the arrival of F-35A has a direct impact on NATO’s defensive posture in northern Europe. The aircraft combines low detectability (stealth), advanced sensors and data links capable of merging information in real time with allied ground, naval and air forces.
“The F-35 will bring a new level of capability to our defense”noted the commander of the Finnish Air Force during the presentation of the program. The message is that it is not just about protecting national airspace, but about actively contributing to collective deterrence.
Calendar and training
He JF-501 has already completed its first flight and It will be delivered in early 2026. Before operating from Finnish bases, the plane and its pilots will pass through Ebbing Air Base, in Arkansas, one of the training centers of the F-35A. From there, deliveries will be staggered until the fleet of 64 units is completed, the largest in northern Europe.
The first fighter will land in Finland next year, with initial operations planned shortly after. By then, the country will have completed one of the most relevant military modernization processes in its recent history.
