Patria and Pratt & Whitney have signed an agreement for the final assembly of the first F135 engines in Finland. Production at the facility in Linnavuori has commenced and will continue until 2030.
– It is inspiring to see our joint efforts come to fruition, not only through the development of new capabilities for the F-35 programme, but now also as Patria's experts take the first concrete steps towards F135 production, says Petri Hepola, programme director for the F-35 at Patria, in a press release from the Finnish company.
As a strategic partner to the Finnish Defence Forces, Patria is responsible for the initial assembly and future maintenance of the engines. Finland's first F-35A fighter aircraft is expected to arrive at the Lapland Air Command in Rovaniemi (northern Finland) by the end of 2026.
– Patria's capabilities will strengthen the network for F135 engine maintenance as well as the collective defence for Finland and its NATO allies. This agreement ensures that engines assembled by Patria will power Finland's F-35 fleet for decades to come, says André McMillian, Vice President of Maintenance Operations at Pratt & Whitney.
Already in 2024, the parties signed a framework agreement regarding maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO&U) of the engine type. According to Patria, the direct employment effect of the agreement is estimated to be around 50 people between the years 2025 and 2030. The unveiling of Finland's first F-35 took place in December, as NDS has reported.