Historic Arrival Marks Milestone for Finnish Air Force's F-35 Capability Introduction

Finland’s first Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II, JF-501, has arrived at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith, Arkansas, marking a historic day for the Finnish Air Force. The aircraft was received by Colonel Tuukka Elonheimo, head of Finland’s F-35 Liaison Office. According to AeroTime, the transfer flight was flown by United States Air Force Major Cole ‘Laser’ Kingsbery. This spring, the first Finnish Joint Fighters will enter service at the base as part of the practical phase of initial training. The Finnish Air Force is sending pilots and personnel involved with F-35 data systems to the US for initial training.