Build begins of first F-35 for Finland

Finnish F-35 programme director, Henrik Elo, signed the forward fuselage bulkhead of Finland's first F-35A in Fort Worth, Texas, on 28 October. (Lockheed Martin)

The build of the first Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) for Finland has begun at the manufacturer's Fort Worth facility in the US.

The Finnish Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced the milestone on 29 October, marking the event with an image of the country's Program Director, Henrik Elo, signing the forward fuselage bulkhead of the first aircraft (national serial JF-501, company serial MF-1).

“The forward fuselages of Finland's F-35A fighters are being manufactured in the United States. Once the forward fuselage is completed, it proceeds to the production phase where the four major components of the fighter – the forward fuselage, centre fuselage, wing assemblies, and aft section – are joined together. Then the jet moves to the final stages of assembly on the production line in Fort Worth,” the MoD said.

The Finnish Air Force is to receive 64 F-35A aircraft to replace its 55 Boeing F/A-18Cs and seven F/A-18D Hornet fighters, selecting the ‘fifth-generation' type under the HX fighter replacement competition. Finland's F-35As are being manufactured in Lots 17–22, and will be delivered from late 2025 at the Technical Refresh-3 (TR-3) standard that enables the Block 4 capability.

Following delivery, aircraft JF-501/MF-1 and the seven aircraft following it will be initially flown out of Eglin Air Force Base (AFB) in Florida, where they will be used for Finnish pilot and maintainer training. The Finnish Air Force will receive its first F-35A fighters into Rovaniemi Airbase of the Lapland Air Wing at the end of 2026.