The AIM-120D-3, essentially the most superior variant of the ARMAAM, will equip Finland’s incoming F-35As, the primary of which was formally rolled out on Dec. 16, every week after the primary flight.
Finland has determined to go forward with the procurement of AIM-120D-3 AMRAAM (Superior Medium-Vary Air-to-Air Missile) for the Finnish Air Pressure F-35A Lightning II fleet, Protection Minister Antti Häkkänen introduced final week. This follows a Sep. 10, 2025, Overseas Army Sale (FMS) approval by the U.S. authorities for 405 AIM-120D-3 AMRAAMs, value $1.07 billion.
On Dec. 16, RTX shared an announcement by Finland’s Ministry of Protection saying the order.
The D3 is essentially the most superior model of the missile, with a number of software program and {hardware} upgrades to boost the weapon’s flight traits, seeker vary, sensitivity, goal acquisition and jamming resistance. It have to be famous that the weapon is not going to be utilized by Finland’s roughly 62 legacy F/A-18C/D Hornets, which the Lightning IIs are supposed to exchange.
The primary of Finland’s 64 F-35As, serial JF-501, flew for the primary time on Dec. 8, 2025, from Naval Air Station Reserve Base Fort Price, Texas. A proper rollout ceremony was then held on Dec. 16, within the presence of senior Illamvoimat (Finnish Air Pressure), authorities and Lockheed Martin officers, together with the nation’s President Alexander Stubb.
Deliveries are anticipated to start out in 2026, and all F-35As will probably be delivered geared up with the Expertise Refresh (TR-3) software program code, meant to assist the long run Block 4 {hardware}.
📰 Finland’s Minister of Defence authorised the Finnish Defence Forces to obtain Raytheon-manufactured AIM-120D-3 Superior Medium Vary Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) from america. Extra: pic.twitter.com/SpMncYCR9U
— RTX (@RTX_News) December 16, 2025
‘Greatest missile for F-35 fighters’
The Dec. 12 Ministry of Protection assertion, whereas saying Minister Antti Häkkänen “has licensed the Protection Forces to accumulate AMRAAM AIM-120D-3 missiles from america,” added that the D-3 is the “newest and essentially the most superior model of the missile,” which is “appropriate with the F-35A multirole fighter” and “will complement the weapons programs of the long run F-35 fleet.”
Häkkänen mentioned within the assertion: “With the acquisition, Finland can have entry to the newest and most succesful missile model, which is able to enhance our capacity to answer threats within the operational atmosphere. The acquisition will additional strengthen interoperability with america and different allies.”
The DSCA (Protection Safety Cooperation Company) FMS discover mentioned the 405 AIM-120D-3 AMRAAMs will probably be supplied along with eight steering sections – the WGU-54/B – with exact positioning supplied both by the Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module or M-Code. Non-Main Protection Tools (MDE) objects embody educational literature and documentation, spare elements and provides, transportation providers, and coaching, restore and assist providers supplied by the producer and provider in accordance with the Letter of Provide and Acceptance (LOA). The contract additionally contains providers supplied by the U.S. authorities.
Det första F-35A-multirollflygplanet i Finland, flygplanet JF-501, visades för publik underneath en rollout-ceremoni vid Lockheed Martins fabrik i Fort Price den 16 december. 🇫🇮 pic.twitter.com/nXOB8wg1IQ
— Ilmavoimat (@FinnishAirForce) December 17, 2025
The AIM-120D primarily contains enhancements and tweaks to the “approach the missile flies for long-range photographs,” defined Jon Norman, Raytheon’s vp for necessities and capabilities, when an F-22 fired the longest-known shot with an AIM-120.
Carried out over the Eglin Air Pressure Base vary in Florida, the check validated the shape, match, perform refresh (F3R) improve effort for the AMRAAM, mentioned Norman. An optimized software program, that adopted flight profiles to take advantage of the excessive velocity and altitude of the F-22 and the F-35, was additionally supported by some modernized electronics and a extra environment friendly battery. We have now lined these missile flight and kinematic techniques revolving round a ‘loft’ maneuver that many long-range AAMs carry out, which you’ll examine right here and right here.
Right here it’s – Finland’s first Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II multirole fighter. 🇫🇮Plane JF-501 was unveiled at a rollout ceremony on 16 December 2025 at @LockheedMartin’s Fort Price facility within the USA. 🇺🇸 #ilmavoimat #JF501 #F35programme #F35 @Puolustusvoimat @thef35 pic.twitter.com/FHRZd1mO6C
— Ilmavoimat (@FinnishAirForce) December 16, 2025
Even in stillness, it instructions the room.
Finland’s F-35. ⚡ pic.twitter.com/sSlf6t6NaW
— F-35 Lightning II (@thef35) December 17, 2025
Finnish F-35As
On the sidelines of JF-501’s roll-out ceremony on Dec. 16 at Fort Price, Texas, Protection Minister Antti Häkkänen upheld the Finnish U.S. protection and strategic partnership, and Helsinki’s function in defending NATO’s “north-east flank.”
“This Rollout-ceremony underlines that Finland is dedicated to investing in safety and defence […] The acquisition of 64 very succesful F-35 fighters is not going to solely strengthen Finland’s Defence, but in addition Nato’s deterrence and defence typically,” Häkkänen mentioned in response to a Finnish MoD press launch on the time.
The manufacturing unit check flight was carried out from the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Price, TX, on 8 DEC 2025, at 2.55 PM native time. #JF501 will probably be offered to the general public at a rollout ceremony on the @LockheedMartin Fort Price facility on 16 DEC 2025. #ilmavoimat 2/2 pic.twitter.com/Ur6uOni1Mf
— Ilmavoimat (@FinnishAirForce) December 9, 2025
JF-501 had first rolled out of the meeting line late in October at NAS-JRD Fort Price, which hosts the Lockheed Martin facility. The Ilmavoimat is predicted to start receiving its F-35As by the latter half of 2026, with the primary eight plane delivered to Ebbing ANGB (Air Nationwide Guard Base), Arkansas. Ebbing ANGB hosts the coaching for the Finnish and a number of other different air forces.
Airframes from JF-509 onwards will probably be instantly delivered to the Ilmavoimat’s Lapland Air Wing in Rovaniemi, the place they may be a part of HävLLv 11 (11 Squadron). Karelia Air Wing’s Rissala Air Base, in south-east Finland, would be the second primary F-35 base and can obtain its personal F-35As from 2028.
The primary batches of the service’s maintainer and pilots are additionally present process coaching at Eglin AFB, Florida, and Ebbing ANGB. The latter already hosts the bottom technical coaching and flying coaching for F-35 personnel from Poland, Germany, Switzerland and Singapore.
Recent airbase, runway improve and reconstruction works are additionally present process at Karelia Air Base to deal with Finland’s personal and allied NATO F-35 operations, whereas the Patria Group on introduced on Oct. 14 the “on schedule” completion of the meeting and upkeep facility for F-35 fighter jet engines, positioned in Linnavuori, Nokia.
