Finland to buy US glide bombs for F-35s, ministry says
The purchase adds manuals, spare parts and training support as Finland equips its incoming F-35A fleet with an all-weather weapon for moving targets.
- On Thursday, Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen authorized the Finnish Defence Forces Logistics Command to purchase GBU-53 SDB II glide bombs from the United States for the incoming F-35A fleet. Häkkänen said the deal strengthens Finland's defences "in demanding conditions."
- Sharing an 830-mile border with Russia, Finland requires high-end deterrence capable of operating in brutal Nordic winters. Raytheon-built munitions use a tri-mode seeker to strike moving targets through fog, snow, and darkness, filling a critical capability gap.
- Weighing around 250 pounds, the GBU-53 SDB II can strike targets from roughly 70 miles away, supplementing the $9.4 billion acquisition of 64 F-35As that will replace the aging McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet fleet.
- Roughly 150 Finnish personnel are currently training at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Arkansas, with the first F-35s scheduled to arrive on Finnish soil in the fall of 2026. This marks the start of fleet modernization.
- By 2028, Finland expects to reach full operational capability with the new aircraft, and this logistics package ensures the fleet maintains reliability and strike effectiveness as the Lapland Air Wing begins its transition.
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Finland buys more smart bombs for F-35 fighter jets
Finland’s Minister of Defence, Antti Häkkänen, authorized the Finnish Defence Forces Logistics Command on June 18 to purchase additional GBU-53 Small Diameter Bomb II glide bombs from the United States, adding to a stockpile that will arm the country’s incoming fleet of F-35A stealth fighters with a weapon few air forces in the world currently […]
Finnish Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen authorized the purchase of GBU-53 Small Diameter Bomb II (SDB II) guided bombs from the United States, which are used on F-35 fighters.
A heavy flying bomb can fly 120 kilometers and find its target in all weather conditions.
Finland to acquire GBU-53 SDB II glide bombs for F-35A fighters under supplementary U.S. procurement
The SDB II glide bombs will supplement the air-to-ground weaponry of Finland’s F-35A aircraft. The Ministry of Defence and Finnish Defence Forces said the weapon’s features enable precise strikes at medium range, including against moving targets in challenging weather conditions. The small size of the glide bomb allows the F-35 to carry several weapons at the same time. The procurement will supplement a previous order made as part of the F-35 we…
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