Combat aviation: not surprisingly, Finland fails Europe and climbs in the F-35 – archyworldys

The American F-35 fighter plane is unfortunately the preferred aircraft of Europeans (Norway, United Kingdom, Italy, Netherlands, Denmark, Poland, Belgium and Switzerland). Incomprehensible when we know the technological and technical setbacks and the vertiginous maintenance costs of this aircraft and that there is truly an offer from European manufacturers (Eurofighter, Gripen and Rafale). Despite these findings, Finland selected the F-35 to replace some sixty older versions of the F / A-18 delivered at the end of the 1990s, as La Tribune has already written following the leaks in the Finnish press. The Finnish government plans to order 64 F-35s for an amount of 8.37 billion euros. The aircraft was in competition with the F / A-18 of Boeing, the Rafale of Dassault Aviation, the Gripen of the Swedish Saab and the Eurofighter of the European consortium which brings together Airbus, the British BAE Systems and the Italian Leonardo.

“The F-35 met the requirements in terms of preparation, industrial cooperation and cost,” said Defense Minister Antti Kaikkonen, who nevertheless wished “move towards a stronger defense Europe”, during the visit of the Minister of the Armed Forces, Florence Parly in December 2020. “By comparing the military capabilities, the overall system of the F-35 was the best to meet our needs. Its combat, intelligence and resilience capabilities were the best “among its competitors, he continued.

Antti Kaikkonen followed the recommendations of the evaluation committee. According to a keen observer, “it is very rare to see the government deviate from the assessment group’s proposal”. This arms contract is the largest in Finnish history. The new aircraft, which must fly until 2060, should be delivered by Lockheed Martin from 2025. The government plans maintenance and upgrade costs estimated at 10 billion euros additional until 2060, an amount undervalued according to several analysts, who expect a sum around 250 million euros per year for 64 F-35s. Its excessively high operating costs also raise concerns that they are not sustainable, according to its detractors. Lockheed Martin plans to maintain the Finnish F-35s until the 2070s. There are already more than 730 F-35s in service today.

“American preference in Europe”

“Once again, we note and regret an American preference in Europe”, lamented in a press release Dassault Aviation, which take “act of sovereign decision of the Finnish authorities to choose the American solution for the replacement of the F-18s of the Air Component “. Very big loser of the competition, Sweden through the voice of Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist also expressed in a press release its “regrets” with regard to the decision.

“It should be said that the tender was structured to open the doors to the F-35”, estimated an observer at La Tribune. The Americans had two advantages: the armament which equips the current F-18s is recent and can be installed without problem on a new American fighter plane; there is close cooperation between Finland and the United States due to the maintenance of the F-18s. “It is certain that the Finns will easily accept the choice of the American device because of the excellent reputation which the F18 has.”, argued this observer.

Finland, which shares a border of more than 1,300 kilometers with Russia, is not, however, a member of NATO. But it is a partner state of the Atlantic alliance and has a “option” to be able to join quickly. The announcement comes as Moscow demands guarantees from the West not to expand the Atlantic alliance further east, with tensions around Ukraine. Half of the new aircraft will be based in Lapland (north) – and the other half in Karelia, in the east of the country, near the Russian border.