ByREUTERS

Finland has chosen US defense giant Lockheed Martin's F-35 fighters in a tender to replace aging F/A-18 combat jets, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday.

Lockheed Martin competed for the deal with Sweden's Saab, US rival Boeing, France's Dassault and Britain's BAE Systems.

A formation of US Air Force F-35 Lightning II fighter jets perform aerial maneuvers during as part of a combat power exercise over Utah Test and Training Range, Utah, US, November 19, 2018.
A formation of US Air Force F-35 Lightning II fighter jets perform aerial maneuvers during as part of a combat power exercise over Utah Test and Training Range, Utah, US, November 19, 2018. (credit: US AIR FORCE/STAFF SGT. CORY D. PAYNE/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS)

The Finnish government said earlier it would announce its choice at a news conference later on Friday.

The government has approved a budget of 10 billion euros for the acquisition out of which 9.4 billion euros would be used to buy the warplanes themselves.