Finland has formally presented its first two in-country F-35A Lightning II fighters at an arrival ceremony in Rovaniemi, as the country begins the practical transition from delivery to operational introduction. The event at Lapland Air Wing on 1 October brought together senior Finnish and international defence figures and included the first F-35 flight in Finland by a Finnish pilot.
The two aircraft landed at Rovaniemi Air Base on 18 September after ferry flight delivery, and Finland now has 10 of the 64 F-35A aircraft on order. Eight earlier jets remain in the United States, where Finnish pilots and maintainers are training at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Arkansas.
The programme is replacing Finland’s Hornet fleet and is scheduled to support the country’s air defence for decades. Maintenance training in Rovaniemi is due to begin before the end of 2026, followed by pilot training in Finland in January 2027. The Lapland Air Wing is expected to reach initial operational capability in early 2028, with full operational capability planned for the end of 2030.