Finland marked the arrival of its first two fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets today at a ceremony hosted by the Finnish Air Force’s Lapland Air Wing.
The aircraft arrived at Rovaniemi Air Base on September 18. The air force called the moment the beginning of a “new era” for Finland’s defense and said the F-35 fleet would remain an integral part of the country’s air defense into the 2060s.
Attendees included Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen, Finnish Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Timo Herranen, U.S. Ambassador to Finland Howard W. Brodie, F-35 Joint Program Office head Lt. Gen. Gregory Masiello, and Lockheed Martin Aeronautics President Orlando Sanchez Jr.
The ceremony featured a flight demonstration by an F-35 piloted by a Finnish aviator. Stubb’s remarks emphasized the transatlantic partnership and the security of the Arctic region.
A fleet to replace Finland’s aging Hornets
In 2021, Helsinki ordered 64 F-35s in a deal valued at $9.4 billion. The new aircraft are set to replace the U.S.-made F/A-18 Hornets that have served as Finland’s frontline fighters.
“For us, the F-35 is about power projection capability, about security and about situational awareness in the Arctic region,” the Finnish Air Force said. “It is about maintaining security in northeastern Europe.”
The delivery comes amid transatlantic tensions over Arctic security. In recent days, the United States, Denmark and Greenland agreed on a pact to strengthen “common deterrence,” ending a prolonged standoff over Washington’s threat to annex the semi-autonomous island.
Operational capability targeted before the end of the decade
Finland’s first F-35s arrived nine months after Helsinki published an Arctic foreign and security policy document. It assessed changes in the security environment driven by Russia’s war against Ukraine, Finland and Sweden joining NATO, and growing international interest in the Arctic and its natural resources.
Although Herranen did not mention Russia by name, he said the F-35’s ability to detect threats at greater distances while remaining harder to detect is a necessary part of its capabilities.
The Finnish Air Force plans to reach initial operational capability in early 2028 and full operational capability before the end of 2030. Deliveries are expected to continue through the close of 2030. In addition to the two aircraft now in Finland, eight F-35s are based in the United States for flight training and engineering work.
By the 2030s, roughly 700 F-35s are expected to be operating in Europe. Plans also call for the joint use and sharing of F-35 aircraft, personnel and weapons systems.
