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Finnish Patria Group announced the opening of the company's new manufacturing hall for F-35 fighter jet fuselage components.
The new facility in Jämsä marks a significant milestone in Finland’s participation in the F-35 program and reflects Lockheed Martin’s strategic goal of making F-35 production more international. This move helps meet the growing global demand for advanced fighter jets and ensures political and industrial support from allied nations.
The factory is scheduled for full completion in the fall of 2025, after which large-scale assembly of F-35 fuselage sections will begin. This work is part of Finland’s industrial participation commitments stemming from the HX Fighter Program procurement agreement. Full-scale production is planned to launch in the spring of 2026, with Patria aiming to create up to 150 high-skilled jobs at the new facility.
Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen called the investment a sign of trust in Finland’s expertise. "This cooperation strengthens our technological foundation, security of supply, and long-term defense capabilities," Häkkänen emphasized.
Petri Hepola, a representative of Patria, highlighted the smooth collaboration with the Ministry of Defense, the Finnish Defence Forces, and Lockheed Martin. "The new production hall makes Patria a key partner in the global F-35 program," said Hepola. Lockheed Martin’s representative, Nick Drazic, also confirmed that Patria’s involvement increases production capacity, creates jobs, and brings economic benefits to all allied nations participating in the program.
Finland’s contribution extends beyond the fuselage parts produced in Jämsä. Under the contracts, Patria is also set to manufacture 400 F-35 fuselage sections and landing gear doors for international delivery between 2026 and 2040.
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The F-35 Lightning II is a fifth-generation multirole stealth fighter developed by Lockheed Martin, designed for air superiority, strike missions, intelligence gathering, and electronic warfare. Its cutting-edge technology—including a low-observable design, radar-absorbing materials, a powerful Pratt & Whitney F135 engine (with speeds up to Mach 1.6), internal weapons bay, and advanced sensor suite (AN/APG-81 AESA radar, DAS, and EOTS)—ensures exceptional situational awareness and interoperability with allied forces.
The F-35 program is the largest and most complex fighter aircraft initiative in history, with more than 20% of components produced outside the United States through a decentralized manufacturing network. In Europe, the adoption of the F-35 is widespread: several NATO and EU countries, including the United Kingdom, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, and Denmark, are already operating the jets. Others—such as Belgium, Poland, Germany, Switzerland, Finland, and the Czech Republic—are in the procurement process or preparing for operational deployment. This reflects a strategic trend toward standardizing air capabilities among allied forces, strengthening joint operations and logistics.
In addition to the fuselage component factory in Jämsä, Finland is also establishing a center for the assembly and maintenance of F-35 engines. This facility, focused on the Pratt & Whitney F135 engine, is expected to be completed by fall 2025, significantly enhancing Finland’s national supply security and technological expertise.
Patria’s expanded role in the F-35 program brings Finland not only the most advanced fighter jets but also long-term participation in their production and lifecycle support. This investment reinforces Finland’s strategic autonomy, creates high-tech jobs, strengthens national defense capabilities and allied deterrence posture, and positions Finland as a key player in the global defense industry. It is a clear example of how the HX Program’s budget decisions are being translated into domestic high-tech employment and sovereign defense capability.
Source: armyrecognition.com