Patria and the Finnish Defence Forces have signed a service agreement on building capabilities for Finland’s F-35 programme. The agreement is designed to ensure the management of the F-35's maintenance reliability-critical know-how and technology resides in Finland in both normal and state-of-emergency situations. 

The employment effects in Finland are expected to continue into the 2040s. Patria's main industrial cooperation projects include the large-scale assembly of F-35 front fuselages in Finland for international users and further production of structural components. In addition, Patria will establish assembly projects with Pratt & Whitney for the F135 engines powering the Finnish F-35s.  

"With this agreement, the Finnish Defence Forces will receive a national solution for F-35 maintenance and service capabilities, which are significant for Finland's security of supply,” says Petri Hepola, chief programme officer, F-35 at Patria. “On the other hand, the agreement creates the basis for Patria for competence development towards a new generation system.”

The role of domestic industry in building the capabilities of the F-35 programme is essential to meet the requirements of industrial participation and security of supply, required for the F-35 fighter programme. 

The capabilities to build the F-35 programme are related to the industrial participation agreement between the Finnish Ministry of Defence and Lockheed Martin and the Ministry of Defence and Pratt & Whitney. 

 In 2021, Finland announced a $9.4 billion deal to acquire 64 Lockheed Martin F-35 fighters to replace its ageing F/A-18 combat jets. Conscript and reservist trainin on the F-35 is expected to commence in 2027 with Initial Operating Capability scheduled for 2028.

Finland's recent NATO membership, the ongoing Pohjanmaa-class vessel programme of the Navy, the Finnish Army GBAD Capability Replacement Programme (ITSUKO), the Air Force IITVJ (Integrated C4ISR System) programme and, the F-35 Fighter Programme will all have a significant impact on air defence and the entire defence system in the coming years.