Finland is buying 64 F-35A Lightning II fighter stealth fighter jets for $9.4 Billion to replace its F/A-18 Hornet fleet.
The Finnish government has chosen U.S. defence giant Lockheed Martin F-35A fighters combat jets as the winner of the HX Program and plans to order 64 planes with weapons systems, the government said on Friday.
“When comparing military performance, the F-35 best met our needs,” Defence Minister Antti Kaikkonen told a news conference.
The construction of hangars and other equipment will add a further 777 million euros, and 824 million euros will be reserved for the final optimised weapons package and to control future contract amendments, it added.
Lockheed Martin competed in a tender for the deal with Sweden’s Saab, U.S. rival Boeing, France’s Dassault and Britain’s BAE Systems.
Finland is the 14th nation to opt for the F-35. It will begin phasing in the F-35 from 2027 onwards, said Airforce Commander Pasi Jokinen.
“The F-35 will provide Finnish industries unique digital capabilities that leverage 5th generation engineering and manufacturing,” said Bridget Lauderdale, Lockheed Martin’s vice president and general manager of the F-35 programme.
“The production work will continue for more than 20 years, and the F-35 sustainment work will continue into the 2070s,” Lauderdale said in a statement.
