The Finnish Air Force conducted, on December 8, the inaugural flight of its first F-35A Lightning II fighter, still in the United States, where the aircraft is being finalized by Lockheed Martin.
The jet, registered as JF-501, took off ahead of the official rollout ceremony scheduled for December 16, which will be attended by Finnish President Alexander Stubb. The model underwent a year of assembly, painting, and ground testing, completing this stage on schedule.
Finland has ordered 64 F-35A units to directly replace its current F/A-18C/D Hornet fleet, maintaining roughly the same number of operational aircraft. All jets will be delivered with the TR-3 electronic upgrade, which increases processing capability and facilitates the integration of new systems and weapons. The first eight fighters will be sent in 2026 to Ebbing Air Base in the U.S., where Finnish pilots and crews will begin training.
From the end of 2026, the first F-35s will arrive in Finland, initially joining Squadron 11 of the Lapland Air Wing, followed by the Karelia Air Wing in 2028. Both bases, located near the Russian border, play a central role in the country’s air defense, now a NATO member.
Finland will also adopt the braking parachute, a feature already used by Norway for operations on icy runways, enhancing preparation for extreme weather operations.
Source: The Aviationist | Photo: X @FinnishAirForce / @LockheedMartin | This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team
The factory test flight was conducted from the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, TX, on 8 DEC 2025, at 2.55 PM local time. #JF501 will be presented to the public at a rollout ceremony at the @LockheedMartin Fort Worth facility on 16 DEC 2025. #ilmavoimat 2/2 pic.twitter.com/Ur6uOni1Mf
— Ilmavoimat (@FinnishAirForce) December 9, 2025
