Amid tensions over Ukraine, Finland seals purchase of 64 US fighters

Finland has chosen the American F-35 fighter from Lockheed Martin to replace its fleet of Boeing F-18s.

JACK GUEZ AFP/File

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After Indonesia, which decided to buy 42 Rafale fighter jets, Finland has just announced that it has sealed the purchase agreement for 64 American F-35 fighters.

An announcement that comes at a time when tension is mounting between the West and Russia over Ukraine. 

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Finland has decided to pay around 8.4 billion euros for the purchase of these planes.

It is the largest arms contract in the country's history.

The Finnish government has chosen the American F-35 fighter from Lockheed Martin to replace its fleet of Boeing F-18s.

The new aircraft will fly until 2060 and will be stationed half in the north in Lapland and the other half in the east of the country, in Karelia.

1,300 kilometers of border with Russia        

Finland, which shares a border of more than 1,300 kilometers with Russia, is not a member of NATO, but remains a partner state of the Atlantic Alliance.

Even if Finland assures that the project to renew its fleet of fighters was planned for a long time, the announcement of the purchase of these planes coincides with the escalation of tensions between Russia and Ukraine.

Moscow

has sent about 100,000 troops to the Ukrainian border, raising fears in the West of an invasion of Ukraine by its big neighbor.

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• Finland

• Defense

• Aeronautics