Finnish Air Force Welcomes New Multirole Fighter Amid NATO Expansion

Finland has unveiled its first Lockheed Martin F-35A fighter at a rollout ceremony held on December 16, 2025, at Fort Worth, Texas. The aircraft, serial JF-501, is part of Finland’s HX Fighter Program, which will replace the Finnish Air Force’s F/A-18 Hornet fleet. According to AeroTime, the ceremony was attended by Finnish Minister of Defense Antti Häkkänen and senior Lockheed Martin executives. The aircraft has completed its first flight and will undergo additional ground and flight tests before being inspected and accepted by the US Defense Contract Management Agency.