Patria celebrates opening of F-35 production facility in Jämsä, Finland
From left: President and CEO of Patria Esa Rautalinko; Vice President, Aeronautics Operations, Lockheed Martin Nick Drazic; Brigadier General Engineering, Deputy Manager of Finnish Defence Forces Logistics Command Juha-Matti Ylitalo; Colonel (ret) FIAF F-35 program director, Finnish Air Force Henrik Elo; and Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Chief Program Officer, F-35 of Patria Petri Hepola.
Patria hosted the opening ceremony of the F-35 production building on Friday 13 June, 2025 at Patria’s Halli facility in Jämsä, Finland. The production line will provide large-scale assembly of F-35 forward fuselages as part of the global F-35 supply chain.
The new production facility, which will be completed during the autumn of 2025, will be part of the industrial cooperation of Finland’s F-35 fighter programme. The F-35's industrial participation solution in Finland creates strong capabilities and competences in terms of security of supply and is also significant for the Finnish national economy.
“The construction of the F-35 forward fuselage production line in Finland as part of the industrial cooperation package is a sign of trust in Finnish expertise. With this production line, Patria becomes a significant part of the global F-35 supply chain. Industrial cooperation is essential for developing the technological foundation, security of supply, and capabilities. For Finland’s security and defence, this cooperation is important far into the future,” comments Finland’s Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen.
"Collaboration on the Halli production facility project has been continuous and we are on schedule. We at Patria are proud to be developing new F-35 capabilities together with Ministry of Defence, Finnish Defence Forces and Lockheed Martin, commemorated by today's opening ceremony," says Petri Hepola, Chief Program Officer, F-35 at Patria.
“The Lockheed Martin team was honoured to participate in the facility’s opening ceremony, bringing Patria into the global supply chain and marking a significant milestone for the Finnish F-35 programme,” says Nick Drazic, Vice President, Aeronautics Operations, Lockheed Martin. “Combining the best skills and expertise from the United States and its global partners boosts capacity, creates and sustains jobs and delivers positive economic impact for all countries involved. We are looking forward to continuing our close partnership with Patria and Finnish industry to support the strong global supply chain enabling allied deterrence around the world.”
The employment impact for Patria will be up to 150 people after the ramp-up period. Production is planned to start during spring of 2026.
Media enquiries and further information:
Sirje Ahvenlampi-Hyvönen, Vice President, Group Communications, Patria, tel. +358 50 557 3822, [email protected]
Petri Hepola, Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing and Chief Program Officer, F-35, Patria, tel. +358 40 869 3760, [email protected]
Patria is a modern and international defence and technology company with over 100 years of experience. Through our top-notch experts and Protected Mobility, Defence and Weapon Systems and Sustainment Solutions business areas, we ensure reliable operations for our customers and serve as a partner in critical functions on land, sea and air - when if is not an option. Patria has offices in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Estonia, Latvia, and Japan.
Patria is owned by the State of Finland (50.1%) and Norwegian Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace AS (49.9%). Patria owns 50% of Nammo, and together these three companies form a leading Nordic defence partnership.
www.patriagroup.com
