Finland to buy 64 F-35A Lightning II fighter jets from US

Finland will buy 64 new F-35A Lightning II fighter jets from US manufacturer Lockheed Martin to replace its fleet of Hornet fighters.

The government on Friday authorised the Finnish Defence Forces Logistics Command to sign a procurement contract with the government of the United States on Finland's next multi-role fighter, said the Ministry of Defence in a press release.

The procurement contains 64 F-35A Block 4 multi-role fighters, substantial and versatile weaponry tailored for the operating circumstances, required training and sustainment solutions, other related systems as well as sustainment and maintenance services until the end of 2030.

The F-35 operating and sustainment costs fit the allocated cost frame, and the aircraft development during the life cycle will be feasible with the normal resources of the Finnish Defence Forces.

Within the procurement process, several essential security of supply requirements and significant industrial participation have been agreed upon. The essential security of supply requirements relate specifically to independent ability to operate in exceptional circumstances.

The F-35 programme is multinational and its user community large. The system is in service in many European nations including Norway and Denmark.

The current Hornet fleet will be phased out as planned from the year 2025.

The first Finnish F-35 fighters will begin service with the Finnish Air Force in 2025 as part of the training of Finnish personnel in the United States. The first F-35s will be delivered to Finland in 2026. In Finland the F-35 system will replace the Hornet fleet in the fighter wings between 2028 and 2030.

The HX programme replacing the Hornet capability was launched in 2015 by the decision of the Minister of Defence and subsequent Request for Information (RFI) phase.

The HX bidding competition began in 2018 with the initial Requests for Quotation (RFQ) sent to the governments of France, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The Defence Forces Logistics Command received the final and binding offers from all five HX tenderers by the end of April 2021 deadline. The offers were assessed in accordance with the HX Request for Quotation, decision-making model and Evaluation Handbook to reach the procurement proposal.

The tendering was based on four decision-making areas: Military Capability, Security of Supply, Industrial Participation and Affordability. When a tenderer passed the Security of Supply, Industrial Participation and Affordability considerations, it proceeded to the final phase of the Military Capability evaluation in which the offered solutions were placed in order.

The procurement object is 64 F-35A multi-role fighters in the newest, Block 4 -configuration. The procurement encompasses multi-role fighter weaponry. The offered F-35 package includes the following weapon types: AMRAAM, Sidewinder, SDB I and II, JDAM-family weaponry, JSM and JASSM-ER. The weaponry is to be procured within the programme funding availability by the end of the year 2035. The weapons package will be optimised during the procurement process, taking into account availability of the newest weapon types and changes in the operating environment. With optimised weapons procurement, the system's capability will be maximised in the Finnish operating environment and the F-35 system's life-cycle guaranteed for the longest feasible time.

A remarkable number of additional products and services to be acquired concurrently are related to the procurement of the fighter system and its use. These comprise the sustainment system including test equipment, tools, replaceable assembly and spare part services, as well as information systems, training systems and services, mission support systems and related services as well as the US Government Foreign Military Sales (FMS) procurement process related administrative services to be used. The procurement package also includes the fleet sustainment costs for the years 2025-2030.

The funding for the HX programme totals 10 billion euros. The Parliament has granted the fighter programme a procurement authorisation of 9.4 billion euro for the acquisition of the Hornet replacement system and 579 million euros of a five-year transferable allocation. The transferable allocation is to ensure that the procured entity will be obtained into service as part of the Finnish defence system. Twenty-one million euros have thus far been spent in preparing for the procurement.

The acquisition equals approximately 8.378 billion euros. The cost of multi-role fighters is 4.703 billion euros and air-to-air missiles AMRAAM and Sidewinder 754,6 million euros. Service equipment, spare and exchange parts, training and sustainment solutions, other related systems as well as sustainment and maintenance services until the end of 2030 cost 2,920 billion euros.

Operational facilities, aircraft hangars and storages as well as runway structures and infrastructure for the procured system will be constructed in Finland. This is based on national and international safety and security requirements. Construction costs, costs of industrial participation, personnel costs and other project costs amount to 777 million euros.

Additionally 823,8 million euros is reserved for the final optimised weapons package and to control future contract amendments. Part of the weaponry will be obtained at a later date as per the aircraft delivery schedule.