'Outstanding Success Story'
The Finnish air force marked a decade of flying the American
F/A-18 Hornet during a ceremony last month on an air base near
Tampere, Finland.
US Navy officials and aerospace industry representatives who
assisted Finland with delivery of the fighter aircraft starting in
1995 gathered in a hangar at Satakunta air command, in the southern
end of the Scandinavian country.
"This is an outstanding success story. We have excellent
cooperation and confidence with the U.S. Navy. Over the last
decade, you met our expectations for an effective and
pilot-friendly fighter. We have raised the fire power and
effectiveness of the air force to an entirely new level," said Maj.
Gen. Heikki Lyytinen, commander in chief of the Finnish Air Force.
"[We have] all the reason to celebrate our dominance of Finnish
skies."
Finland has purchased a total of 64 F-18 Hornet aircraft --
including 57 single-seat models, and seven dual-seat trainers. The
entire country has five million inhabitants, comparable to the
population of London.
To put that into perspective, Finnish officials noted a United
Kingdom purchase on the same scale would total 700 aircraft --
roughly one Hornet for every 15,600 residents.
"This is part of Finnish transformation, modernization," said
Minister of Defense Juhani Kaskeala, who defined the US as an
important international partner. Finland shares an 800-mile border
with Russia.
The decision to purchase the aircraft allocated the nation's
entire defense budget for three years, and was agreed to by
national referendum. At the time, Finland's air defense was made up
of MIG-21 and Saab J35 Draken aircraft.
The Hornet advanced Finland's air defense by two generations,
said Lyytinen. Finland phased out the MIG and Saab aircraft when
the last Hornet arrived in 2000.
U.S. Navy Capt. Donald Gaddis spoke to a large crowd that
included more than a dozen Finnish media representatives.
"What makes the program so successful? I believe it is a culture
of success," Gaddis said.
Finnish officials first considered purchasing new aircraft in
1988. Officials accepted offers in 1990 and selected the Hornet in
January 1991.
"It was the fastest decision I've ever seen of this sort," said
David Beckering of Boeing, the aircraft's primary builder.
The country's long-term plan is to keep the country's Hornets in
service until 2030, according to Finnish officials.