Defense Cooperation with the USA: Engine Assembly Plant for F-35 Fighter Jets Built in Finland

A plant for assembling and maintaining engines for fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets has been established in Finland as part of the defense collaboration with the USA.

Patria reported on this.

Patria is a key strategic partner of the Finnish Armed Forces, tasked with the assembly, maintenance, and repair of F135 jet engines.

The production facility, located in Linnavouri, Nokia, will initially serve as an engine assembly site and will later be converted for its maintenance and overhaul.

The plant will service the jet engines of Finland’s F-35A fighter jets throughout their entire lifecycle.

The facility was constructed to meet the stringent security standards of the F-35 program and Pratt & Whitney, the engine manufacturer, as part of an industrial cooperation agreement.

“Finland’s industrial involvement aims to ensure the security of supply while also creating jobs. The production of F-35 components in Linnavouri marks a significant and tangible step forward in the defense and security partnership between Finland and the United States,” said Antti Häkkänen, Finland’s Minister of Defense.

Under the agreement signed with Pratt & Whitney in 2024, Patria will assemble F135 engines and their components from 2025 to 2030. Starting in 2030, the company will shift to the maintenance, repair, overhaul, and upgrading of F135 engines.

The cornerstone for the new plant was laid on March 14, 2025. Its construction is part of the broader cooperation of the Finnish defense sector in the F-35 program.

The Finnish company Patria and the American Lockheed Martin previously signed an agreement as part of Finland’s direct industrial participation in the production of the F-35.

The framework agreement outlines the assembly of the front fuselage in Finland, both for aircraft to be delivered to the Finnish Air Force and for international F-35 customers.

A total of 400 sets are planned to be produced under this agreement.