As a prospective member, Helsinki is set to further bolster the alliance with the acquisition of 64 F-35 fighter jets, having formalized a deal to purchase the war planes in February. Full delivery is not expected until the end of the decade, a timeframe that leaves open whether the planes will be upgraded as Dual Capable Aircraft, with the ability to carry a nuclear weapon.
“We have not started that discussion,” Huatala said, adding that “this was not in our mind when we decided to buy. … I don’t think we had any idea of any nuclear dimension when that decision was made.”
Still, Huatala said that Finland sees its NATO membership without “conditions or limitations or caveats.” “We are joining NATO as a member-state, full stop. No kind of limitations from the start.”
Finnish Ambassador to the U.S. Mikko Hautala , 11 July The Hill