First flight Ilmavoimat F-35A
On 8 December 2025, Ilmavoimat (Finnish Air Force) F-35A Lightning II JF-501 (customer number MF-01, FMS 23-5932) completed its first flight at Lockheed Martin's facility in Fort Worth (TX). The F-35A was officially rolled out, still unpainted, from the factory on 29 October 2025.
The first eight aircraft will be deployed at Ebbing Air National Guard Base (ANGB), adjacent to Fort Smith Regional Airport (AR), for the initial F-35 training of Finnish personnel. The Finnish Air Force will receive its first F-35A fighters at Rovaniemi, home of the Lapland Air Wing, at the end of 2026.
On 10 December 2021, the Finnish government authorised the Finnish Defence Forces Logistics Department to enter a procurement agreement with the United States for the acquisition of the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II. The purchase includes 64 F-35A Block 4 multi-role fighters, extensive armament tailored to Finnish requirements, as well as the necessary training, maintenance solutions, ancillary systems, and servicing through 2030.
Two aircraft will receive special, though toned-down, tail markings: JF-511 for HävLLv 11 (Fighter Squadron 11) featuring the Visentti (Bison), and JF-531 for HävLLv 31 (Fighter Squadron 31) featuring the Ilves (Lynx). These squadrons are based at Rovaniemi Air Base in the north (Lapin Lennosto / Lapland Air Defence Area) and Kuopio-Rissala in the east (Karjalan Lennosto / Karelia Air Defence Area), respectively.
Credit photo: Sebastiaan Does