For $323 million – Helsinki wants to buy 40 tactical missiles and 48 guided bombs for the Finnish Air Force
Washington has approved the potential sale of more than 80 precision weapons to Finland for $323 million, the State Department said Monday, as the traditionally nonaligned Nordic country prepares to join NATO.
Helsinki wants to buy 40 tactical missiles and 48 guided bombs for the Finnish air force, and this sale of technologically advanced and therefore sensitive material needed to receive the approval of the US government first, according to a press release from the US Department of State.
The AIM 9X Block II, or Sidewinder, is a short-range infrared-guided air-to-air missile that “locks on” to a target by harnessing the heat of its engines. Produced by Raytheon.
The AGM-154 JSOW (or Joint standoff weapon) is a medium-range precision guided bomb, it has the ability to hover in the air allowing it to be dropped from a safe distance (“standoff”). Also produced by Raytheon.
“The proposed sale will enhance U.S. foreign policy and national security by improving the security of a trusted partner, which is an important factor in political stability and economic progress” in Europe and the world, according to the press release of the competent agency of the U.S. State Department. .
If confirmed, this arms sale “will improve the air-to-air and air-to-ground capabilities (of the air force) of Finland”, which will have “no difficulty in integrating it into its armed forces”.
The main fighter of the Finnish air force is currently the F/A-18C Hornet (Boeing), which is expected to be gradually replaced by the F-35 (Lockheed Martin) starting in 2026.
Following Russia’s February 24 invasion of Ukraine, Finland and Sweden submitted a joint application for membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in May, abandoning their decades-long military non-alignment policy.
Their entry must be unanimously approved by the 30 NATO member states. It has been ratified to date out of 28; Turkey and Hungary remain.
RES-EMP
Read the News today and get the latest news.
Follow Skai.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news.
With a wealth of experience honed over 4+ years in journalism, I bring a seasoned voice to the world of news. Currently, I work as a freelance writer and editor, always seeking new opportunities to tell compelling stories in the field of world news.
