Finland's first F-35A fighter jet rolls out at Lockheed Martin facility in Texas.

Finland rolled out its first F-35A multirole fighter, designated JF-501, on December 16, 2025, at Lockheed Martin’s production facility in Fort Worth, Texas.

Finland conducted the rollout of its first F-35A fighter aircraft, JF-501, at Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth facility on December 16, 2025, confirming progress in the 64-aircraft procurement approved in 2021. The milestone reflects the programme’s shift into the delivery, testing, and training phase ahead of initial operational capability later in the decade.
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Finland’s HX Program, launched in 2014 to replace the F/A-18 C/D Hornet fleet, led to the selection of the F-35A on December 10, 2021, following a competitive assessment against the Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon, Gripen, and F/A-18 Super Hornet. (Picture source: Finnish Air Force)

The event gathered approximately 200 invited participants from Finnish and U.S. defence administrations, industry, and media, and was attended by Finland’s Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen, Finnish Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Timo Herranen, and Col. (ret.) Henrik Elo, Director of the F-35 Programme, with Lockheed Martin Aeronautics President Greg Ulmer hosting the ceremony. The rollout made visible the transition from planning and contracting to aircraft delivery and training, and confirmed that Finland’s F-35 Programme has entered its execution phase following the 2021 procurement decision for 64 F-35A fighters to replace the F/A-18 C/D Hornet fleet.

The JF-501 aircraft progressed through a multi-year production timeline at Fort Worth that began with the start of manufacturing activities in 2023. In October 2024, production progress was marked by a forward fuselage signing event, followed in September 2025 by installation of the Pratt and Whitney F135 engine. Final assembly was completed in October 2025, and in November, the aircraft received its final finishes, including paint and low-observable surface treatment. The aircraft rolled off the assembly line in October and conducted its maiden flight on December 8, 2025, as part of factory test flights, confirming readiness to move into acceptance testing and the handover process before transfer to Finnish ownership.

Following completion of factory ground and flight testing, the aircraft is scheduled to undergo further verification flights before formally transferring to Finland. In early 2026, JF-501 is planned to be ferried to Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Arkansas, where Finland’s first F-35A fighters will be introduced into service as part of the practical phase of initial training. The first eight Finnish aircraft are planned for delivery to Ebbing to support this training effort, while aircraft with registration numbers starting from JF-509 are planned for direct delivery to Finland. Once the U.S.-based training of Finnish personnel concludes, JF-501 and other aircraft used during that phase are planned to be flown onward to Finland for operational integration.

Finland’s program of record foresees a fleet of 64 F-35As, described as the largest such fleet in northern Europe, with a phased introduction schedule extending through the end of the decade. The first aircraft is planned to arrive in Finland during 2026, with initial operational capability targeted by the end of 2027. Karelia Air Wing is scheduled to receive its first F-35 fighters in 2028, and full operational capability is planned by the end of 2030, coinciding with the phased retirement of the Hornet fleet. From 2031 onward, the F-35 system, designated JF for Joint Fighter, is planned to operate as the Finnish Air Force’s main combat aircraft capability.

The F-35A fleet is designated JF to emphasize its role as a joint capability supporting all branches of the Finnish Defence Forces rather than a platform limited to air-only tasks. All aircraft will carry registration numbers from JF-501 to JF-564, and all paint schemes and markings are designed to remain low observable, with national insignia subdued into shades of grey. Sixty-two aircraft are planned to carry the Finnish Air Force emblem on their vertical stabilizers, while JF-511 and JF-531 are planned to feature squadron emblems linked to Fighter Squadrons 11 and 31. At the time of the rollout, a total of 16 Joint Fighters were reported to be in production at Lockheed Martin and partner companies.

Operationally, Finland frames the multirole fighter fleet as a cornerstone of national defence in both peacetime and exceptional circumstances. In peacetime, the main task is continuous safeguarding of territorial integrity through round-the-clock monitoring and air policing, while in crisis or conflict, the fleet is tasked with defensive counter-air operations and support to Army and Navy combat through air protection, firepower, and the generation and sharing of situational awareness and targeting data. Senior commanders highlighted that the F-35’s sensor suite enables the collection of large volumes of diverse data that can be shared across services, supporting joint operations across air, land, sea, space, and cyber domains, with specific reference to integration at Rovaniemi and maritime operations in the Baltic Sea.

The introduction of the F-35 is closely linked to Finland’s NATO membership, which began in April 2023, and to participation in the wider multinational F-35 user community of 20 member states, including 13 in Europe. Training and preparation activities span multiple locations, with Finnish aircraft maintenance personnel beginning initial F-35 training at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida in September 2025, followed by practical training at Ebbing in Arkansas. Finnish pilots have also participated in simulator-based events at Fort Worth, and the Air Force outlined continued cooperation with allies, including Nordic training with Norway and Denmark, regular joint exercises, and efforts tied to NATO’s Agile Combat Employment concept to improve cross-basing and interoperability.

Industrial participation forms a parallel pillar of the programme, intended to secure domestic security of supply while embedding Finnish industry in the global F-35 ecosystem. Patria is responsible in Finland for assembly, maintenance, and servicing of the F135 engine at a dedicated facility in Linnavuori, Nokia, with engine assembly planned from 2025 to 2030 and a transition to maintenance, repair, overhaul, and upgrade activities beginning in 2030, and an estimated direct employment impact of around 50 people during the initial phase. In addition, Patria’s Halli facility in Jämsä is planned to manufacture and assemble F-35 structural components, including 400 forward fuselages and landing gear door sets between 2026 and 2040, with components shipped to the United States for final assembly, and with broader employment effects expected over the programme’s duration.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.