Finland Receives First Two F-35As Based on Home Soil
Finland has received its first two permanently based F-35A fighters, bringing the number delivered to 10 of the 64 aircraft it has ordered from Lockheed Martin. Lockheed Martin and the Finnish Air Force marked the arrival in Rovaniemi on October 1, 2026.
Eight of the delivered aircraft are still training in the United States. The Finnish Air Force commander, Major General Timo Herranen, said the F-35 was chosen because it is designed for an environment like Finland’s.
First Finnish F-35As Land in Finland
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Customer | Finnish Air Force |
| Manufacturer | Lockheed Martin |
| Aircraft arrived | Two F-35A, permanently based in Finland |
| Location of ceremony | Rovaniemi, Finland |
| Delivered to date | 10 of 64 ordered |
| Training in the US | 8 aircraft |
| Date | October 1, 2026 |
“The F-35 was chosen because it is designed for an environment like ours,” Herranen said in the release. Lockheed Martin said the delivery strengthens Nordic, European and NATO deterrence.
Patria Builds F-35 Forward Fuselage
Lockheed Martin noted that Finland’s Patria became the first non-Lockheed Martin company to produce the F-35 forward fuselage. The company said more than 2,100 suppliers across multiple countries contribute to the programme and that about 25 percent of each aircraft’s value is made in Europe.
| Item | Figure | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Allied nations operating F-35 | 20 | Including 13 European countries |
| Aircraft operational worldwide | More than 1,375 | As stated in the release |
| Cumulative flight hours | More than 1 million | Programme-wide |
| Finland order | 64 F-35A | 10 delivered |
A Nordic F-35 Fleet Takes Shape
Finland selected the F-35 to replace its F/A-18 Hornet fleet. With Norway and Denmark also flying the type, the northern European F-35 fleet is becoming one of the densest in NATO. That is analysis, not a company claim. For a closer look at what the aircraft can carry, see what missiles the F-35 can fire.
Lockheed Martin Company Profile
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Bethesda, Maryland |
| Founded | 1995 (Lockheed and Martin Marietta merger) |
| CEO | Jim Taiclet |
| Segments | Aeronautics, Missiles and Fire Control, Rotary and Mission Systems, Space |
| Known programmes | F-35, F-16, PAC-3 MSE, HIMARS, Black Hawk |
Finland F-35 FAQ
How many F-35s has Finland ordered?
64 F-35A aircraft.
How many have been delivered?
Ten, of which two are now permanently based in Finland and eight are training in the US.
Where was the arrival marked?
Rovaniemi, Finland, on October 1, 2026.
What role does Finnish industry play?
Patria became the first company outside Lockheed Martin to build the F-35 forward fuselage.
How many countries fly the F-35?
Twenty allied nations, including 13 in Europe, according to Lockheed Martin.
- Lockheed Martin – “Finland and Lockheed Martin Celebrate Historic Arrival of First Finnish F-35” (press release, October 1, 2026): news.lockheedmartin.com
- Wikipedia – Lockheed Martin; Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II
