![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/20251216_105030-1024x768.jpg\")
Greg Ulmer, president of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, speaks at a ceremony to unveil Finland\u2019s first F-35A fighter jet. (Eric E. Garcia | Fort Worth Report)
\nGlobal defense efforts<\/p>\n
Finland\u2019s involvement in the F-35 fighter jet program comes as foreign sales are ramping up with potential new customers such as Saudi Arabia, while Canada and other countries weigh whether the program is worth the escalating costs.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Israel, however, wants to block F-35 sales to Saudi Arabia and Turkey over fears that the action could risk its air superiority and early-warning advantage. Those concerns prompted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to meet privately<\/a> with Lockheed Martin executives Dec. 1 in Jerusalem, Defense Mirror reported.<\/p>\n U.S. military branches strongly support the F-35 program. Earlier this month, Lockheed Martin was awarded a $1.14 billion modification to a previously awarded defense contract from the Department of the Navy to fund future production of 198 F-35 jets.<\/p>\n The aircraft, assembled at Air Force Plant No. 4 at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, provides a weighty local economic impact of about $20.5 billion, which includes 19,000 related jobs and $2.8 billion from 895 suppliers, according to a Lockheed Martin spokesperson.\u00a0<\/p>\n Ulmer said Lockheed Martin is on track to deliver 180 to 190 F-35s this year. The aircraft, which recently set production records, will be around for decades with plans for continuous upgrades to technology, including the use of artificial intelligence, he said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe mission to support our customers with these phenomenal platforms translates directly into providing for our community,\u201d Ulmer told the Fort Worth Report.<\/p>\n Nearly 300 more F-35s will be needed over the next decade to meet President Donald Trump\u2019s interim National Defense Strategic Guidance<\/a> goal of having a total fleet of 1,558 fighter jets, Breaking Defense reported<\/a>. The nation has an estimated 1,271 jets in fiscal year 2026.<\/p>\n Twenty allied nations, including 13 in Europe, are part of the F-35 program. Sixteen are in active service, officials said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Finland defense<\/p>\n With video, music, a light show and a performance by Finnish soprano Karita Mattila, a black curtain in the background dropped to unveil the jet to applause at the ceremony.<\/p>\n Lt. Gen. Gregory Masiello, program executive officer of the F-35 Joint Program Office, said the aircraft program is an effective deterrence to global conflicts.<\/p>\n \u201cThe program that I am privileged to lead is truly international, and it is more than the jet that we will see here in a moment, it is the entire industrial chain and the operational force,\u201d Masiello said. \u201cOur vision is that we have a globally deployed and employable F-35 fleet that is ready, it\u2019s affordable, it\u2019s lethally and nonlethally effective and survivable.\u201d<\/p>\n Finnish defense minister Antti H\u00e4kk\u00e4nen said the F-35 partnership will be mutually beneficial for the United States and Finland in their commitment to global security and defense.<\/p>\n \u201cFinland\u2019s military strategic location requires (the) most capable systems,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m confident that the F-35 and its effective sensors (and) weapons are absolutely the right choice for our operational environment.\u201d<\/p>\n Maj. Gen. Timo Herranen, commander of the Finnish air force, said the jets will enable the country to respond quickly.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat a moment, what (an) aircraft!\u201d Herranen said.<\/p>\n Officials said the first F-35A to Finland will be delivered in early 2026. Finnish pilot training will take place at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Once Finland receives its 64 jets, it will have the largest F-35 fleet in northern Europe.<\/p>\n Herranen said the Finnish air force, over 100 years old, worked to defend Finland with bravery and skill for decades, downing more than 1,600 Soviet planes.<\/p>\n \u201cToday, we begin a new era in our history while we introduce the F-35A into service,\u201d Herranen said. \u201cWe join the world\u2019s strongest fighter pilots. Together, we will deter and meet the need (to) defeat an adversary.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Eric E. Garcia is a senior business reporter at the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at eric.garcia@fortworthreport.org<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/20251216_101848-scaled-e1766093151507-1024x732.jpg\")
Finnish soprano Karita Mattila performs at an unveiling ceremony for Finland’s first F-35A fighter jet. (Eric E. Garcia | Fort Worth Report)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/20251216_105855-scaled-e1766101917637-860x1024.jpg\")
Antti H\u00e4kk\u00e4nen, Finland\u2019s defense minister, speaks to Finnish reporters after the unveiling of the country\u2019s first F-35A fighter jet. (Eric E. Garcia | Fort Worth Report)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/20251216_105716-1024x768.jpg\")
Maj. Gen. Timo Herranen, commander of the Finnish air force, gets his picture taken in front of the country\u2019s first F-35A jet. (Eric E. Garcia | Fort Worth Report)<\/p>\n