Finland's formal purchase agreement for F-35 fighter jets could be signed as soon as Friday, U.S.-based sources familiar with the plan said on Thursday, Trend reports citing Reuters.
In December, Finland said it would replace its ageing F/A-18 combat jets with 64 F-35s planes and weapons systems in a deal $9.4 billion dollar deal. The deal is a foreign military sale through the U.S. government, but Lockheed Martin Corp is the principal contractor for the jets.
"This is another clear sign of how serious Finland has always been about its national defense," Finland's ambassador to the United States, Mikko Hautala, said in a statement. Hautala said, "it is part of our long-term planning and has nothing to do with the current situation as such." He did not comment on any potential deal signing for the jets.
Three people familiar with the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity said that as early as Friday Finland could sign the paperwork formalizing the jet deal and that production can begin. Finland ran a multi-year competition to replace its fleet of F-18s.
The U.S. State Department declined to comment.
Finland will begin to phase in the F-35 jets in 2027, the government has said.