Technical fault leaves Finnish-bound F-35 in the Azores

One of the F-35 fighter jets travelling to Finland remained in the Azores because of a technical fault, Yle reported. The fault was a minor avionics problem, involving the aircraft’s electronic systems, according to Aki Puustinen, chief of staff at the Finnish Air Force headquarters.

Two F-35s landed in Rovaniemi on Friday. Three had originally been scheduled to arrive in Finland.

The aircraft’s fault system indicated a possible problem when the jet was started, Puustinen told Yle. The fault was investigated, but the engine was shut down after it became clear that further checks would delay the departure of the entire transfer group.

A replacement part is currently being sent to the Azores.

The transfer group had no possibility of delaying its departure for the third Finnish aircraft, according to initial information on Friday. The group included five F-35s as well as KC-135 aerial refuelling aircraft.

Puustinen said it would not be practical to transfer the aircraft to Finland separately because the flight across the Atlantic requires aerial refuelling support. The jet will instead be flown to Finland with the next group of aircraft.

During peacetime, there is a low threshold for suspending a mission because risks are not considered worth taking, Puustinen said.