of for the HX fighter programme. In December 2015 the Finnish MoD sent a letter to Britain, France, Sweden and the US informing them that the fighter project had been launched in the Defence Forces. The request for information concerning the HX Fighter Program was sent in April 2016. Responses were received from all five participants in November 2016. The official Request for Quotation was sent in the spring of 2018. The goal is to start the fighter candidates’ environmental testing in Finland in 2019. The buying decision took place in 2021. On 10 December 2021, it was announced that Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II was the winner of the HX program. It was also revealed that both Rafale and Typhoon had not gone through to the final round. The cost for 64 aircraft was , and the initial weapons package () and other associated costs (service equipment, reserve and replacement parts, training equipment and other systems and services were ) bringing the package to . Additionally are going to used to upgrade facilities, and are saved for later expenses, such as air-to-ground weapons, resulting in total expenses of , below the limit of . Costs per aircraft frame is . The aircraft are planned to be delivered between 2026 and 2030, and is expected to replace the F/A-18s during the period 2028–2030. The F-35s are intended to be in service until the 2070s. The FAF expects the annual operating costs not to exceed , which are the current operating costs for the F/A-18 fleet. The first weapons package will include AIM-9X Block II+ Sidewinder and AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM missiles, and later on air-to-ground weaponry will be obtained when they reach sufficient maturity and will match their shelf life with the introduction of the aircraft. The air-to-ground package might consist of GBU-53/B SDB II bombs, GBU-31 JDAM bombs, JSM and AGM-158B-2 JASSM-ER missiles, which all were offered in the deal. The DSCA notification also mentioned BLU-117, BLU-111 and BLU-109 bombs, as well as AGM-154C-1 Joint Stand Off Weapons (although the latter is unlikely as production is ending after 2023). Aircraft Current inventory Note: Three C-17 Globemaster III's are available through the Heavy Airlift Wing based in Hungary. Armament Organization The Air Force is organised into three air commands, each of which operates a fighter squadron. In addition, the Air Force includes a number of other units: Air Force General Staff, in