Patria has completed assembly of the first F135 engine system destined for Finland’s F-35A fleet, marking an important step in Helsinki’s fifth-generation fighter acquisition program. Under its cooperation agreement with Pratt & Whitney, Patria carries out initial F135 assembly at its Linnavuori plant in Nokia. The facility will support the propulsion requirements of Finland’s planned 64 F-35A aircraft. Engine assembly is expected to continue through the decade, after which Linnavuori will take on a long-term role providing engine maintenance, repair, overhaul, and upgrade services. The industrial activity is projected to create around 50 direct Patria positions by 2030. Finland selected the F-35A in 2021 through a US foreign military sale arrangement involving Lockheed Martin, with the new aircraft intended to replace the country’s F/A-18 Hornets. Lockheed Martin rolled out the first Finnish F-35A at its Fort Worth, Texas, facility in 2025. The initial aircraft is expected to arrive at the Finnish Air Force’s Lapland Air Wing toward the end of 2026, beginning the delivery phase of the program.
