Finland’s first F-35A Lightning II fighter jet has successfully completed final assembly and rolled out from Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth facility in Texas.
Photos shared by Lockheed Martin show the aircraft, designated JF-501, coated in a mint-green primer, which will later be replaced by the F-35’s signature low-observable gray paint designed for radar absorption.
The aircraft’s official unveiling is set for mid-December. Following the ceremony, the first eight Finnish F-35As will be temporarily based at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith, Arkansas, where Finnish Air Force (Ilmavoimat) pilots and ground crews will undergo hands-on training.
Subsequent aircraft, beginning with JF-509, will be delivered directly to Finland. The Finnish Air Force will operate its fleet from two bases — the Lapland Air Wing in Rovaniemi by 2026 and the Karelia Air Wing in Rissala by 2028.
Finland’s F-35 Program
In December 2021, the Finnish government selected the Lockheed Martin F-35A as its next-generation fighter, choosing it over proposals from Boeing, Dassault, Saab, and the Eurofighter consortium. The $9.4 billion deal was formalized in February 2022.
Under the agreement, 64 aircraft will be delivered between 2026 and 2030, replacing the F/A-18 Hornet fleet and serving into the 2060s.
Finland also ordered 150 AGM-88G AARGM-ER missiles, valued at $500 million, to align with F-35 deployment schedules. The local defense firm Patria will handle component manufacturing and maintenance, ensuring long-term domestic support and industrial participation.
