Finland welcomes its first F‑35A Lightning II fighter jets
ROVANIEMI, Finland — Republic of Finland and F‑35 Joint Program Office officials celebrated a major milestone welcoming the nation’s first two in‑country F‑35A Lightning II aircraft, JF-510 and JF-512, at Lapland Air Wing, Oct. 1.
Ceremony attendees included President of Finland Alexander Stubb; Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen; Finnish Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Timo Herranen; U.S. Ambassador to Finland Howard W. Brodie; F‑35 JPO Program Executive Officer Lt. Gen. Gregory Masiello; and Lockheed Martin Aeronautics President Orlando Sanchez Jr. About 400 invited guests, media representatives and Lapland Air Wing personnel were also on hand.
“The new F‑35 fighters will strengthen Finland’s defense capability for decades to come,” Stubb said.
The ceremony recognized the culmination of coordinated efforts across the Finnish Defence Forces, the F‑35 JPO and industry partners as Finland progresses toward full operational capability.
“This milestone reflects the strength of partnership, trust and shared resolve that define our nations,” Masiello said.
“We value our partnership with Finland and look forward to supporting the nation’s continued integration into the F‑35 enterprise,” he added.
Finland is transitioning from its legacy F/A-18 Hornet fleet. The Nordic country selected the fifth-generation F‑35A in 2021 and plans to operate 64 fighter jets.
The F‑35A is designed to connect information across domains and operate within a broader network, supporting interoperability among Finland and its NATO allies. As Finland builds its F‑35 capability, its aircraft and infrastructure will become part of the global F‑35 enterprise, which includes 20 nations that have selected the aircraft.
Masiello also highlighted ongoing efforts to strengthen the global F‑35 sustainment enterprise and Finland’s growing role within it. Finnish industry is preparing to support the fleet by producing components such as fuselage sections and landing‑gear doors, along with assembling F135 engines.
Looking ahead The aircraft arrival marks the beginning of Finland’s next phase of F‑35 implementation and establishes the infrastructure and operational foundation needed to support future fleet operations at Lapland Air Wing. Finnish pilots and maintainers will continue training at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Arkansas.
As Finland begins operating the F‑35 on home soil, the country joins a growing community of operators working to connect forces, share information and enhance interoperability.
The arrival of Finland’s JF-510 and JF-512 marks not the end of the journey, but the beginning of the NATO partner’s next chapter as an F‑35 operator.
About the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) The F-35 JPO is the Department of War’s focal point for defining, developing, acquiring, sustaining and fielding the F-35 Lightning II. In partnership with international allies and industrial partners, the JPO ensures the delivery of affordable, fifth-generation airpower to the U.S. Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, international partners and foreign military sales customers. The JPO is dedicated to maximizing the operational readiness, interoperability and lethality of the global F-35 fleet to deter adversaries and secure national and allied defense interests worldwide.
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