The new assembly and maintenance hall for F-35 fighter engines is at roof height – the construction project to strengthen the security of supply of the fighters is progressing as planned
Construction of the F-35 fighter engine assembly and maintenance facilities in Linnavuori, Nokia, is on schedule, and the topping-out ceremony for the construction project took place on Friday 14 March. The new construction project is part of the overall industrial cooperation for the F-35 fighter project. The assembly and maintenance hall, to be completed in autumn 2025, will contribute to improving the security of supply of Finland’s future F-35 multi-role fighters.
Defence Properties Finland is responsible for construction management of the new facilities. The multipurpose facilities will be used by Patria, strategic partner of the Finnish Defence Forces. The production facilities will first serve as engine assembly facilities and will later be used to service engines of the new fighter type. Maintenance operations will continue in Nokia throughout the service life of the Finnish F-35 squad.
“The service and maintenance capability of the F135 engines to be built in Linnavuori, Nokia, and the competence thus generated in Finland, will strengthen the military security of supply regarding the F-35 system. Building new maintenance capability in Finland will enable the Finnish Air Force to keep the engines of F-35 fighters operational in all circumstances,” Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen comments.
No similar facilities have earlier existed in Finland. In addition to the production facilities, new regional infrastructure, traffic routes and, among other things, regional surveillance structures have been built in Linnavuori.
The new assembly and service facilities will be implemented in accordance with the goals and safety requirements set by the F-35 programme and the American engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney. For industrial cooperation, it has been ensured that the buildings and structures meet the criteria set for engine assembly and maintenance.
“There are an exceptionally large number of different parties involved in the Linnavuori construction project, and the construction plans and construction progress have been regularly reviewed with them. All US inspections have been successfully passed,” says Matias Warsta, CEO of Defence Properties Finland.
“Cooperation between all parties in the Linnavuori construction project has been smooth and we are progressing on schedule. At Patria, we are happy and proud to be building and developing new F-35 capabilities together, which will be celebrated by the topping-out ceremony,” says Petri Hepola, Chief Programme Office, F-35 at Patria.
Defence Properties Finland is responsible for the construction of the infrastructure and properties required for the F-35 fighters, which includes, in addition to industrial cooperation facilities, construction work by regional and national construction companies at all Finnish Air Force bases during this decade.
Inquiries:
Matias Warsta, CEO of Defence Properties Finland, tel. +358 29 483 1000
Krista Siik, Branch Engineer, Ministry of Defence, tel. + 358 295 140 015
Petri Hepola, Chief Programme Officer at Patria, tel. +358 40 869 3760
Photo: Group photo (from the left), Pasi Pajunen, Director of the Material Unit at the Ministry of Defence, Maria Asunta, Chair of Nokia town council, Colonel (ret’d) Henrik Elo, F-35 Programme Director, Matias Warsta, CEO of Defence Properties Finland, Andrè McMillian, Business Development Manager at Pratt & Whitney, and Brigadier General Engineering Juha-Matti Ylitalo, Deputy Chief of Finnish Defence Forces Logistics Command.
