NOKIA, FINLAND — Finnish defence company Patria has completed the assembly of the first F135 fighter engine in Finland, marking the start of domestic F135 engine assembly for the country’s incoming F-35A fleet.
The engine was completed at Patria’s new assembly and maintenance facility in Linnavuori, Nokia, and was presented during an event on September 3. Patria said its F-35 programme has now entered full-scale production.
Patria and Pratt & Whitney, an RTX business, reached an agreement in February 2026 for the final assembly and inspection of F135 engines for Finland. Production at the Linnavuori facility is already underway and is planned to continue until 2030.
The Linnavuori facility was completed and handed over to Patria in autumn 2025. It was built to meet the security requirements of the F-35 programme and Pratt & Whitney. The facility will initially be used for engine assembly before being adapted for maintenance activities.
Assembly to transition into engine maintenance
Under the framework agreement signed by Patria and Pratt & Whitney in 2024, Patria will assemble F135 engines and components during the 2025–2030 period. The facility will then transition to Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul and Upgrade (MRO&U) activities from 2030.
Patria is expected to maintain and support Finland’s F135 engines at Linnavuori throughout the operational lifecycle of the Finnish F-35 fleet. The agreement is estimated to create approximately 50 direct jobs at Patria between 2025 and 2030.
Petri Hepola, Patria’s Chief Programme Officer for F-35, said the completion of the first engine represents a significant milestone and the beginning of full-scale F135 engine assembly in Finland.
Retired Colonel Henrik Elo, F-35 Programme Director for the Finnish Air Force, said the domestic production and future maintenance capability would strengthen Finland’s security of supply for its F-35 fleet.
Jill Albertelli, President of Pratt & Whitney Military Engines, said the Finnish facility will contribute to the global F-35 sustainment network and expand propulsion capabilities in Finland.
F-35A deliveries to begin in 2026
Finland’s first F-35A fighters are scheduled to arrive at the Lapland Air Wing in Rovaniemi at the end of 2026. The Linnavuori facility is therefore being established as part of Finland’s domestic engine support capability as the aircraft enter service.
The F135 is the engine used by all F-35 variants. It produces approximately 43,000 pounds of thrust with afterburner, according to the information provided for the programme.
Patria has also preserved a historical connection to Pratt & Whitney. A Second World War-era Pratt & Whitney engine recovered from a lake near Orivesi in Finland in 2025 has been conserved and placed on display at the Linnavuori facility.
Patria is owned by the State of Finland (50.1%) and Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (49.9%). The company serves as a strategic partner to the Finnish Defence Forces and is involved in the production and sustainment activities associated with Finland’s F-35 programme.
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