Finland has received its first two F-35A Lightning II fighters at Lapland Air Wing in Rovaniemi, bringing the country’s first home-soil landing of the type. The Finnish Defence Forces identified the aircraft as JF-510 and JF-512, which arrived on 18 September after flying from Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth facility via Lajes Air Base in the Azores. The jets were escorted by F/A-18 Hornets as they entered Finnish airspace and landed.
The aircraft were ferried by US Air Force pilots and refuelled in mid-air during the transfer. Their arrival begins the phased introduction of the F-35 in Finland, where the type will replace the country’s F/A-18 Hornet fleet over time. Finland ordered 64 F-35As under its HX fighter programme.
The Finnish Defence Forces has set initial operational capability for the beginning of 2028 and full operational capability for the end of 2030. The newly arrived fighters will undergo post-ferry inspections and remain out of public view until an arrival ceremony scheduled for 1 October.