US approves F-35 and F/A-18 for Finland’s HX tender
The F-35 and F/A-18 have both been cleared for sale to Finland dependent on the outcome of a fighter aircraft tender.
The US State Department has approved two FMS packages for the F-35 and F/A-18 should one or other be selected as the winning aircraft for Finland’s €10 billion ($11.82 billion) HX fighter acquisition.
A package for 50 F/A-18E Super Hornet, eight F/A-18F Super Hornet, 14 EA-18G Growler aircraft, assorted weapons and subsystems, at an estimated cost of $14.7 billion has been cleared.
Similarly, approval for 64 F-35A aircraft alongside air-to-air, air-to-ground missiles and associated equipment, worth $12.5 billion has been granted.
HX test and evaluations of F-35A, Eurofighter Typhoon, Gripen E/F, GlobalEye, Rafale and F/A-18 and E/A-18G aircraft were completed by Finland during flight trials in January and February.
Helsinki is set to send best and final offer requests to industry competitors before the end of 2020, ahead of a contract award for the programme set to be issued in 2021.
New aircraft will replace a fleet of legacy F/A-18C/D fighters.
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