# Finland receives first F-35A fighters, begins transition to 64-jet fleet and full NATO-integrated combat capability by 2030
The aircraft, registered JF-510 and JF-512, left Lockheed Martin’s plant in Fort Worth, Texas, on September 15. They stopped at Lajes Air Base in the Azores before entering Finnish airspace and landing under escort from Finnish Hornets.
U.S. Air Force pilots flew the aircraft to Finland with aerial-refueling support. Finnish roundels were temporarily covered during the international ferry flight, although the aircraft registrations and Finnish Air Force emblems on the vertical stabilizers remained visible.
A new era in the Finnish Defence Forces! 🇫🇮 Finland’s two first F-35A Lightning II multirole fighter jets have arrived at Lapland Air Wing in Rovaniemi, Finland on 18 September 2026. #ilmavoimat #F35programme @Puolustusvoimat @thef35 @theF35JPO @LockheedMartin pic.twitter.com/5rwZ6fdJ9z
— Ilmavoimat (@FinnishAirForce) September 18, 2026
The arrival begins a transition intended to strengthen Finland’s national defense while integrating the new fleet with NATO air operations. Finland has conducted alliance missions as a full NATO member since April 2023.
“The F-35 is one of the largest capability projects of Finland’s military defence, and it has a high level of ambition,” said Gen. Janne Jaakkola, commander of the Finnish Defence Forces. “We will have a very advanced multi-role fighter that fits Finland’s security environment excellently.”
Finland expects the F-35 to perform missions beyond those assigned to its current Hornet fleet. Its sensors and data-fusion capabilities are designed to detect and identify targets while sharing information with forces operating on land, at sea and in the air.
“The combat capability of the F-35 is in a league of its own,” said Maj. Gen. Timo Herranen, commander of the Finnish Air Force. “The complex and advanced sensors of the fighter enable detecting and identifying new types of targets, and sensor fusion merges data derived from the aircraft systems to support the pilot’s situational awareness and decision-making.”
The Air Force also expects the F-35’s internal fuel capacity to extend endurance and operational range. Its weapons, electronic-jamming systems and low-observable design are intended to improve survivability in heavily contested airspace.
Eight F-35s from Production Lot 17 have been completed for Finland, supporting initial instruction for Finnish pilots, maintainers and other specialists. Training is underway at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida and Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Arkansas.
Training in the United States will continue until early 2028, after which most F-35 instruction will transfer to Finland. Maintenance training is due to start in Rovaniemi in late 2026, followed by pilot training in January 2027.
Finnish instructors trained in the United States will lead the domestic program with support from other F-35 operators, including the United States, Norway and Denmark. Training for conscript assistant mechanics is scheduled to begin in 2027, while reservists will receive conversion instruction through refresher training.
Rovaniemi has been prepared to receive and operate the new aircraft, while infrastructure work continues at other Finnish bases. Karelia Air Wing in Rissala is expected to complete most construction in 2027 before receiving its first F-35s in 2028.
Initial operational capability is planned for early 2028, when Lapland Air Wing is scheduled to complete its transition and operate only the F-35. The Air Force will fly Hornets and F-35As together until aircraft deliveries end and full operational capability is reached in late 2030.
“Today we reached the most important milestone of the F-35 Programme, as Finland’s first F-35 fighter jets arrived in Rovaniemi and the introduction of the new capability in Finland begins,” said retired Col. Henrik Elo, director of the F-35 program. “We are on schedule toward achieving full operational capability by 2030, and based on current information, Finland will achieve at least the capability we estimated when making the procurement decision – and in many respects, more.”
The aircraft will remain out of public view while post-ferry inspections are completed. The Finnish Air Force will present them to invited guests and media at a ceremony in Rovaniemi on October 1.
