First F-35A fighter jets arrive in Finland — YLE News
The first Lockheed Martin F-35A fighter jets have arrived in Finland and landed at Rovaniemi Airport. The new aircraft will be presented in Rovaniemi on October 1, YLE News reports.
Replacing Hornet fighter jets
Finland has ordered a total of 64 F-35 fighter jets, which will gradually replace the F/A-18 Hornet aircraft. The Finnish government decided to purchase 64 American Lockheed Martin fighter jets on December 10, 2021. Production of the new F-35s in the United States began on October 29, 2024.
The first aircraft were flown to Finland from Fort Worth, Texas, by American fighter pilots. Initially, the F-35As will be assigned to the Lapland Air Wing. The Karelia Air Wing, based in Rissala near Kuopio, is expected to receive its first F-35s in 2028.
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Purpose and capabilities of the F-35A
The F-35 is a fifth-generation multirole fighter with stealth characteristics that make it difficult to detect by radar. The most widespread F-35A variant is designed to take off and land on conventional runways.
The aircraft is equipped with a range of sensors that make it possible to collect information and transmit it to other aircraft or military systems. According to the Finnish Defence Forces, F-35s can collect and combine data in real time more comprehensively than Hornet fighter jets.
In peacetime, the Finnish Air Force will use the new aircraft, among other things, to protect the country's territorial integrity. Under special conditions, they may be deployed to intercept enemy aircraft and support operations of land and naval forces. Weapons have also been purchased for the fighter jets, including air-to-air missiles and glide bombs.
