Finland counts down to a new fighter

摘要

This January, Finland's defence ministry launches the so-called HX Challenge, a test and evaluation event that will put contenders for the country's fighter replacement programme through their paces. Under the HX project, Helsinki is looking for a successor to the llmavoimat's (Finnish Air Force's) F/A-18C/D Hornet fleet, which it wants to phase out by 2030. Back in spring 2016, a request for information (RFI) was sent to France, Sweden, the United Kingdom and United States, seeking data on the Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon, Saab Gripen E/F, Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and Lockheed Martin F-35. All five fighters are still in contention today.