HX Program – new fighters for Finland by 2025
The planned service life of Hornets, Finland's current fighters, will end by 2030. The HX Program was set up to replace the current fleet with new fighters.
Fighters are a significant part of Finland’s defence capability
The primary purpose of Finland’s defence capability is to establish deterrence against the use of military force and the threat of its use, as well as to repel attacks on Finland. To perform this task, Finland needs fighters. They are an essential part of the air defence system and Defence Forces’ capability in engaging land- and sea-based targets. The fighter fleet’s capabilities also supplement the Defence Forces’ intelligence, surveillance and command environment.
Fighters cannot be replaced by other systems. Ground-based air defence systems and unmanned aerial vehicles would not have the same capabilities.
Hornets’ service life will end by 2030
Currently, the Finnish fighter fleet consists of Hornets. They were commissioned in 1995–2000. At that time, their service life was expected to be 30 years. The last Hornets will thus be phased out by 2030.
Extending the service life of the Hornet fleet would be neither a cost-effective solution nor sufficient in terms of Finland’s defence. The Hornets’ service life cannot be extended as it is limited by the aircraft’s weakening comparative capabilities and structural fatigue. The possibility of obtaining system support, spare parts and software is another factor that influences the decision.
HX Fighter Program will take 10 to 15 years to complete
The HX Fighter Program will take about 10 to 15 years to complete. Requests for information and the first requests for quotations were sent out during the government term 2015–2019. The Finnish Defence Forces Logistics Command sent the Request for Best and Final Offer for the HX Fighter Programme on 29 January 2021. The deadline for finalised tenders was 30 April 2021. Procurement decision was made on the 10 December 2021.
What does HX stand for?
HX is an acronym traditionally used in the Air Force’ fleet replacement projects. The first letter represents the aircraft to be replaced (Hornet = H). The letter X is typically used to indicate a candidate for replacement.