Key PointsA Finnish Air Force pilot completed the first Finnish-flown F-35A flight on April 15, 2026, at Ebbing base in Arkansas.Eight Finnish F-35A jets remain in U.S. training service until 2028, with first aircraft deliveries to Finland starting in fall 2026.Finland’s transition to the F-35 reached a key milestone this week as a Finnish Air Force pilot completed the first flight by a Finnish aviator in the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II.The flight took place on April 15 from Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith, Arkansas, where Finnish personnel are carrying out the practical phase of their initial F-35 training. The sortie began at 2:17 p.m. local time and was flown in aircraft JF-502, the Finnish Air Force said.The flight marks the first time a Finnish pilot has flown one of Finland’s own F-35A jets, moving the country’s fighter replacement program into its next stage. Until now, training had focused on classroom instruction and simulator work in the United States. - ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW - That earlier phase began in February, when the first group of Finnish pilots started theory and simulator training at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida before moving to Arkansas for live flight operations.The pilot, who previously flew the F/A-18 Hornet and also served as a Hornet instructor, described the aircraft as immediately responsive from takeoff. He said the jet’s performance was clear as it accelerated under full afterburner and noted that handling remained smooth and intuitive throughout the flight.For Finland, the milestone is part of a broader effort to bring its next-generation fighter fleet into service on schedule. About 150 Finnish personnel are set to complete initial F-35 training in the United States, including roughly 20 pilots. The training pipeline is expected to continue in groups through early 2028.Eight Finnish F-35A aircraft — serials JF-501 through JF-508 — have now been delivered to Ebbing for training use. Those jets will remain in the United States until early 2028.Before each aircraft enters service, personnel from the Finnish Air Force and the Finnish Defence Forces Logistics Command carry out airworthiness and acceptance inspections. Once those checks are completed, each aircraft receives an individual certificate allowing it to be used for flight training.The next batch of aircraft will go directly to Finland. Jets beginning with serial JF-509 are scheduled to arrive starting in the fall of 2026.The first aircraft based in Finland are set to be flown to Rovaniemi, home of the Lapland Air Wing, later this year. That base is expected to become the first Finnish unit to operate the F-35 exclusively.Initial operational capability is planned for early 2028, when the Lapland Air Wing is expected to complete its transition from the F/A-18 Hornet. Later that year, the Karelia Air Wing is also due to begin receiving its first aircraft.