FORT WORTH, Texas -- Long before Finland’s first F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft touches European soil, its journey begins in places here that few people ever see: inside secure facilities filled with vetted personnel on a Texas production line that builds aircraft for U.S. services and allies across the globe.
And now, as Finland, a full NATO ally since 2023, prepares to introduce the F-35 into service, the Air Force Office of Special Investigations’ Office of Special Projects, or AFOSI PJ, has taken on a role in securing the delivery of the aircraft and its associated capabilities.
Those efforts culminated Dec. 16, when AFOSI PJ leaders attended the rollout ceremony for the Finnish Air Force’s (Ilmavoimat) first F-35A at an industry partner facility in Fort Worth, Texas.
“Protecting advanced technology is inseparable from maintaining deterrence,” said Special Agent Lee Russ, executive director of AFOSI PJ. “Our involvement supports the secure delivery of capabilities without compromising national security.”
That involvement began when Finland was announced as a potential Foreign Military Sales customer and formally commenced after the signing of a Letter of Offer and Acceptance, which authorized key personnel access to U.S. Special Access Programs.
From there, AFOSI PJ supported key milestones throughout the process, including validating personnel access, vetting media to the assembly plant, advising security on counterintelligence risks, and supporting F-35 demonstrations at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, and Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, in late 2020.
For leaders within AFOSI PJ, the event offered a rare opportunity to see years of work come together.
It was a unique and fulfilling moment to be part of such special event.
“For me, [the event] was new because I’m normally in the background,” said Special Agent Gabriela Miller, Special Agent in Charge of AFOSI PJ Det. 9. “We manage security oversight for a broader set of efforts, and the F-35 is one important component of that. Seeing it reach the point of delivering this capability to the warfighter, especially for a partner nation, deepens the appreciation for our team’s collaborative efforts.”
Special Agent Aaron Garcia, who leads counterintelligence, security, and cyber professionals at AFOSI PJ Detachment 9, Operating Locations Bravo (OL-B), and who also attended, said his team worked closely with the F-35 Joint Program Office, U.S. services, program partners, international allies, industry partners, and law enforcement agencies.
“I operationally lead a team of highly skilled counterintelligence, security and cyber professionals tasked with executing these safeguards and coordinating a joint global security effort,” Garcia said.
For AFOSI PJ, the laser show rollout event highlighted their behind-the-scenes role in supporting international defense cooperation while maintaining the protection of sensitive information, Russ said.
That support included vetting Finnish personnel authorized to access U.S. Special Access Programs, advising on and accrediting secure facilities, establishing initial training environments in the United States, and training and equipping Finnish security professionals with the policies and security mindset required to safeguard U.S. national security information internationally.
That effort extends beyond government organizations and relies heavily on close coordination with industry partners responsible for producing the aircraft.
“The production line is more than a mile long, with parts coming from all over the world,” said Jennifer Rivas, a Program Security Officer for AFOSI PJ Det. 9. “Ensuring the supply chain is secure, for both the United States and our partner nations, requires constant coordination with AFOSI, industry partners, and international stakeholders.”
Rivas added that collaboration was especially evident during the rollout of Finland’s first aircraft.
“When you see new customers come on board and watch the rollout, it’s the culmination of hard work by contractors, partners and our AFOSI counterparts,” Rivas said. “Seeing new countries join, and knowing that teamwork and partnership are in place is a proud moment.”
The first F-35 is scheduled to be delivered to the Finnish Air Force in early 2026 and will go to Ebbing Air Force Base, Arkansas, where F-35A pilot training takes place.
In all, Finland’s program will include 64 F-35As, which will comprise the largest Lightning II fleet in northern Europe. The first aircraft are expected to arrive in Finland the following year.
From AFOSI PJ’s perspective, missions like these, which include integrated security, cyber and counterintelligence operations support more than the F-35 program, Russ said,. They also secure U.S. national security objectives worldwide by preserving strategic advantages and strengthening allied partnerships.
“Upholding national security information is fundamental to maintaining deterrence,” Russ said. “By protecting the technologies behind platforms like the F-35, AFOSI PJ helps ensure those capabilities remain effective for both the United States and our allies.”