In a ceremony on 16 December 2025 at Lockheed Martin’s F-35 production facility in Fort Worth, Texas, government and military leaders from the United States and Finland celebrated the rollout of the first F-35A Lightning II fighter for the Finnish Air Force.
This first aircraft will be delivered to the Finnish Air Force in early 2026 and will be ferried to Ebbing Air Force Base, Arkansas, where F-35A pilot training takes place. Finland’s programme of record calls for 64 F-35As, which will be the largest F-35 fleet in northern Europe. The first aircraft will arrive in the country next year.
“In the Finnish operational environment survivability, lethality and co-operation are imperative,” Major General Timo Herranen, Commander of the Finnish Air Force, said at the ceremony. “The F-35 will deliver unmatched capability in all those areas, and it will bring a whole new level of capability for our defence. We are looking forward to the start of F-35 operations next year.”
“Finland is a NATO member and committed to act as a dependable defence provider in the northern flank,” added Finnish Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen. “Finland is investing heavily in national industrial capabilities through industrial participation; we believe that our investment and highly capable defence industry can benefit the F-35 programme not just locally but also at a more global level.”
Finnish industry is part of a global network of more than 1,900 F-35 suppliers. Lockheed Martin has partnered with more than 30 companies and academic institutions across Finland, transferring cutting-edge technologies and expertise that promote innovation and growth in Finland’s aerospace sector, the company noted.
Thus far, 20 countries have selected the F-35, while more than 1,270 F-35s are now in operation with 16 armed service branches worldwide.
