Finland’s first F-35 fighters expected to arrive in Rovaniemi

Finland’s first F-35 fighter jets are expected to arrive in the country on Friday, Yle reports, citing two sources in the Finnish Defence Forces.

The aircraft left Texas in the United States earlier this week and landed in the Azores, a Portuguese archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean. Based on flight information monitored by Flightradar24, the jets could reach Finland shortly after 5 p.m. if the plans remain unchanged.

The aircraft are expected to arrive at the Lapland Air Command in Rovaniemi, where the Finnish Air Force’s first F-35 base is located. US fighter pilots will fly the jets during the transfer flight.

The destination and schedule may still change, for example because of weather conditions.

According to the online publication Lentoposti, three F-35 fighters heading for Belgium are also due to leave the island of Terceira. They flew to the island alongside the Finnish aircraft. Two KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refuelling aircraft are reportedly set to accompany the fighters.

The arrival of the F-35s will be marked at the Lapland Air Command on October 1, when the aircraft will also be presented to the media.