Finland has ordered 64 F-35A fighters from Lockheed Martin to replace its F/A-18 Hornet fleet over the coming years. The first aircraft are expected to arrive at Lapland Air Command in Rovaniemi at the end of 2026, according to the Finnish Defence Forces.
Production of forward fuselages began in early March at Patria’s upgraded facilities in Halli, Jämsä, while production of landing gear doors started there in spring 2026. Components made in Finland are delivered to Lockheed Martin’s final assembly line in Fort Worth, Texas.
Patria is the first partner outside the United States to manufacture forward fuselages for Lockheed Martin fighter aircraft, according to Petri Hepola, Patria’s Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing and Chief Program Officer of F-35. “This represents a significant step in defence industry cooperation between Finland and the United States,” Hepola said.
Under the current framework agreement, Patria will produce a total of 400 forward fuselages and landing gear door sets for F-35 fighters between 2026 and 2042. The work covers components for Finland’s aircraft and for the wider F-35 program.
Patria is also responsible for assembling F135 engines for Finland’s F-35 fighters. New production facilities have been completed at Linnavuori, Nokia, to meet U.S. Government and Pratt & Whitney security requirements.
After the assembly phase, the Linnavuori facilities will also be used for maintenance and overhaul of Finland’s F135 engines. Patria is responsible for maintenance throughout the lifecycle of Finland’s F-35 fleet, which is currently projected to extend into the 2060s.
Patria said its earlier role in assembling General Electric engines for Finland’s Hornet fleet provides a foundation for the new work. As a strategic partner to the Finnish Defence Forces, the company has also carried out demanding maintenance, structural repairs and lifecycle upgrades for the Hornets.
“Over three decades, we have built up first-class technical expertise in fighter aircraft. Of course, the F-35 programme has required us to learn many new aspects, both in forward fuselage production and engine assembly. We have received substantial know-how from Lockheed Martin and Pratt & Whitney for these operations,” Hepola said.
Hepola said the F-35’s advanced features, including its stealth characteristics, require careful handling in structural component production. The transfer of F-35-related information from the United States is subject to licensing and strict export controls.
The work is based on an industrial cooperation agreement between Finland’s Ministry of Defence, Lockheed Martin and Pratt & Whitney. “Patria’s close involvement provides an excellent foundation for developing expertise in F-35 design solutions, components, and the overall system. This broad-based expertise will serve us well in future aircraft sustainment and related technologies,” Hepola said.
Patria said the programme is creating a nationally and internationally significant F-35 expertise centre in Finland. The work currently employs 120 people at the company, with that number expected to rise to more than 200 as production and sustainment preparations expand.
“Good cooperation between all those involved in the programme has ensured that, after a long planning phase, we are now able to begin production,” Hepola said. The company said the programme will provide highly skilled manufacturing jobs for decades while anchoring Finland more deeply in the F-35 industrial base.
Source: Patria Magazine.
