Finland Selects AIM-120D-3 Air-to-Air Missiles to Arm Its Incoming F-35A Fighter Jets.

Finland has authorized the purchase of AIM-120D-3 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles from the United States to equip its future F-35A fighters, according to the Finnish Ministry of Defence. The move strengthens Finland’s air combat capability while deepening operational interoperability with U.S. and NATO air forces during the transition away from F/A-18 Hornets.

The Finnish Ministry of Defence announced on 12 December 2025 that Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen authorized the Finnish Defence Forces to procure AIM-120D-3 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles from the United States for Finland’s future F-35A fleet. The ministry framed the decision as an operating environment upgrade, arguing it tightens Finland’s ability to respond to fast-moving airborne threats while strengthening interoperability with the United States and allied air forces. Deliveries are intended to support the first phase of F-35 deployment as the Hornet era winds down.
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AIM-120D-3 AMRAAM is a long-range, all-weather, fire-and-forget air-to-air missile with mid-course updates and an active radar seeker, optimized for F-35 beyond visual range combat in jammed environments (Picture source: RTX).

While Helsinki did not publish quantities in the national release, the U.S. notification to Congress outlines a potential package of up to 405 AIM-120D-3 missiles plus eight AIM-120D-3 guidance sections equipped for protected GPS positioning using SAASM or M-Code, at an estimated value of $1.07 billion. The notification highlights the support architecture behind the weapons, including built-in test and reprogramming equipment, software delivery, technical documentation, training, and U.S. government and contractor engineering and logistics support. Finland already fields AMRAAM across its air defense ecosystem, from F/A-18 Hornets to the Army’s NASAMS batteries, but the D-3 variant is slated exclusively for the F-35 fleet.

Operationally, the AMRAAM family’s value lies in beyond-visual-range, all-weather engagements built around inertial navigation with mid-course updates and an active radar seeker in the terminal phase, enabling fire-and-forget shots and multi-target tactics. The missile’s ability to prosecute low-altitude targets and reduce dependence on the launching aircraft after seeker activation matters in electronic warfare-heavy environments. For the AIM-120D series, the guidance section incorporates enhanced data link electronics and GPS antennas, supporting longer-range cueing, in-flight retargeting, and better resilience against jamming and spoofing attempts. In tactical terms, this combination enables Finnish pilots to engage adversary aircraft at extended distances while remaining largely passive, a key advantage when operating against integrated air defense systems and advanced fighter patrols.

The procurement also fits the logic of Finland’s F-35 transition plan. Deliveries begin in 2026, with initial pilot and maintainer training conducted in the United States before shifting to Finnish bases. The Finnish Air Force has already detailed the rollout of its first national aircraft, JF-501, including its maiden flight during factory testing and its planned transfer for training in early 2026. In this timeline, air-to-air missiles are not an accessory purchase but a prerequisite for credible operational testing, weapons certification, and early alert duties as squadrons and infrastructure migrate from Hornet standards to fifth-generation concepts of operation.

Strategically, the rationale is inseparable from Finland’s geography and security policy. Finland shares a 1,340 km border with Russia and has recalibrated its defense posture since the war in Ukraine, treating NATO membership and deeper U.S. defense cooperation as core deterrence pillars. The air domain is central to this approach, as control of Finnish airspace underpins both national defense and allied reinforcement flows into the Baltic and Nordic regions. The bilateral Defence Cooperation Agreement with the United States expands access and interoperability at Finnish sites, and an F-35 force armed with the most advanced AMRAAM variant becomes a highly visible and mobile element of that deterrence posture. In this context, the AIM-120D-3 purchase is not merely a weapons upgrade but a signal that Finland intends to field its fifth-generation fleet with the full combat credibility expected of a frontline NATO air power.