Lockheed Martin and the US Government sent their Best And Final Offer (BAFO) to the Finnish Government last Thursday (29). The European country is looking for fighter jets to replace its current F/A-18C/D Hornet, and Lockheed has offered the F-35 Lightning II, a fifth-generation stealth fighter.
Unlike Saab, which offered 64 JAS-39E/F Gripen, two GlobalEye early warning aircraft, armaments and other offset agreements, Lockheed did not give further details of its final offer in the statement.
The American manufacturer claims that the offer also includes many unprecedented opportunities for Finnish industry to work directly on F-35 production and .
“The F-35 will provide Finnish industries with high-tech employment opportunities that no other competitor can offer”, said Bridget Lauderdale, vice president and general manager of the F-35 Program. “Production work will continue for more than 20 years, and sustainment work on the F-35 will continue into the 2050s. Finland will its own F-35s, but will directly the global fleet through the production of key components.”
Through indirect industrial participation projects outside of F-35 production, Lockheed Martin intends to form partnerships with Finnish companies and academic institutions that provide opportunities focused on developing and advancing safety collaborations.
Through the HX Program, Finland will choose a replacement for its Hornets. In January the country asked bidders to submit their final proposals by April 30th (today), having to choose the winner of the contest by the end of 2021.
In addition to Saab and Lockheed, Boeing is also participating with the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, the European consortium Eurofighter with the Typhoon and 's Dassault with its Rafale.
