First Finnish F-35A fighter jet lands in Fort Smith

An F-35A fighter jet belonging to Finland arrived late Tuesday (Jan. 20) morning in Fort Smith as part of a live-flight training cycle that will see 20 Finnish Air Force pilots and maintenance crews in the city until February 2028.

The first of the Finnish pilots are training on simulators at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. Finland is expected to have eight F-35 jets — with pilots, crews and families — at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith by the end of 2026.

Ebbing was selected in March 2023 by the U.S. Air Force to be the long-term FMS pilot training center supporting F-35 fighter planes purchased by Singapore, Switzerland, Poland, Germany, Finland, and other countries participating in the program. The base also will house and provide training support for Republic of Singapore F-16s.

“We are incredibly excited to welcome our Finnish partners to Ebbing,” said Col. Nicholas “Matrix” Ihde, 85th Fighter Group commander. “This program is about more than just training; it’s about building foundational relationships and enhancing our collective deterrence. Having the Finnish pilots train here, alongside our forces, strengthens interoperability and sends a powerful message of unity.”

According to ATEC, Finland country liaison officer (CLO) and his family arrived in Fort Smith in August 2025 to begin preparing for the arrival of planes, pilots and other personnel. Finnish maintenance crews are set to train with “Interim Contract Support (ICS) maintainers” to ensure “the FINAF is fully equipped to handle F-35 maintenance upon their return to Finland,” ATEC noted.

“This is a historic day for the Finnish Air Force,” said Col. Tuukka Elonheimo, chief of the Foreign Liaison Office of the Finnish F-35 Programme and senior Finnish representative at the event. “Taking delivery of our first F-35 and beginning our training here at Ebbing is a critical step in enhancing interoperability and strengthening our nation’s deterrence and defense capabilities. We are grateful to our American partners for their outstanding support and hospitality.”

Leena-Kaisa Mikkola, Finland’s Ambassador to the United States, said during an Oct. 7 address at the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce banquet that the country’s presence in Fort Smith is more than just about training.

“There will be a new Finnish community here,” she said. “This marks a major milestone, not just in defense cooperation, but also in people-to-people connections that build lasting trust and friendships.”

According to F-35 manufacturer Lockheed, the Finnish government is set to receive 64 of the F-35A variant of the fighter. The Finnish government said in 2021 it would spend $9.4 billion for the new platform. The first F-35A built for Finland was unveiled Dec. 16 at Lockheed’s Fort Worth assembly facility. Lockheed reports that 20 nations allied with the U.S. have or are acquiring the jet, with 13 of those nations in Europe.

“More than 1,270 F-35s are currently operational around the globe, and the fleet has surpassed 1 million flight hours,” according to Lockheed. “The combat-proven F-35 operates from 50 bases worldwide, including 10 nations operating on home soil.”

Singapore’s F-35 fighter jets are expected to arrive at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith in late 2026, with the country’s F-16 fighters set to arrive in the summer of 2027. Up to 400 personnel are to be stationed in Fort Smith when all Singapore planes arrive.

The 85th Fighter Group and the 57th Fighter Squadron, both under the Eglin, Fla.-based 33rd Fighter Wing, are based at Ebbing and are responsible for training F-35 pilots. Ebbing is co-located with the Fort Smith Regional Airport. The estimated total cost to complete the training center ranges between $850 million and more than $1.2 billion. Around $600 million in federal funds has been appropriated since 2021 for the center.