US STATE DEP’T APPROVES SALE OF 64 F-35 WARPLANES TO FINLAND

The State Department has officially approved a Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to Finland of F-35 Joint Strike Fighter planes with air-to-air missiles and air-to-ground precision guided munitions and related equipment costing $12.5 billion.

Thus, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on October 9, 2020 (October 10, 2020 in Manila). Finland sought to buy 64 F-35 The Government of Finland has requested to buy 64 F-35 aircraft, 66 Pratt & Whitney F-135 engines, 500 GBU-53/B bombs, 12small diameter bombs, 150 Sidewinder tactical missiles, 32 Sidewinder AIM-9X Block II+ (Plus) Captive Air Training missiles (CATMs), 100 tactical missiles, 200 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range (JASSM-ER) AGM-158B-2 missiles, two AGM-158 Dummy Air Training Missiles, 120 BLU-117, General Purpose Bombs, 32 BLU-109 General Purpose Bombs, 150 general purpose bombs and six MK-82 Inert Bombs.

This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the US by improving the security of a trusted partner which is an important force for political stability and economic progress in Europe. The proposed sale of F-35s and associated missiles and munitions will provide Finland with a credible defense capability to deter aggression in the region and ensure interoperability with US forces. The proposed sale will replace Finland's retiring F/A-18s and enhance its air-to-air and air-to-ground self-defense capability. Finland will have no difficulty absorbing these aircraft into its armed forces.

The prime contractors will be Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. in Fort Worth, Texas, Pratt & Whitney Military Engines in East Hartford, Connecticut, the Boeing Co. in St. Charles, Missouri and Raytheon Missiles and Defense in Tucson, Arizona.