A group of Finnish officials and journalists gathered in a giant aircraft factory in Fort Worth, Texas, on Tuesday to catch a glimpse of the first of dozens of F-35 fighter jets bound for Finland's Air Force.
Operated by Lockheed Martin, the US government-owned Air Force Plant 4 factory was the backdrop for the fighter jet's unveiling presentation.
The aircraft's debut moment came after the visitors took a tour of the massive facility.
A patriotic tone was set by the Finnish award-winning opera star Karita Mattila, who opened the ceremony with the national anthems of Finland and the United States — as well as a rendition of Jean Sibelius' Finlandia.
Then, amid a crescendo of music, lights and video, the F-35 fighter jet took centre stage, bathed in sweeping, twinkling lights that would not be out of place at a rock concert.
Before the plane's appearance, video screens showed images of Finland, including vistas of lakes, a sauna, bears and wolves, snowdrifts, the northern lights, downtown Helsinki and then a fighter jet taking off into the sky.
Finland has ordered 64 of the F-35s, the only so-called 'fifth generation' fighter available to Western countries.
The acquisition is expected to cost Finland around 10 billion euros, including weaponry and airfield modification costs.
Representatives at the event included members of the Finnish Air Force, as well as Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen (NCP), who said that the F-35s will be a cornerstone of Finland's defence capabilities for a long time to come.
The minister noted that Finland will not need to compromise on investments in other technologies, including drone defence initiatives, for example.
Häkkänen emphasised that Europe's security situation is so tense at the moment, that its defence capabilities need to be strengthened now, not in coming decades.
"It was an historic mistake for Europe to drive down its defences and defence industry," Häkkänen said.
Using an American football term, the Commander of the Finnish Air Force, Major General Timo Herranen likened the new fighter jets to the quarterbacks of Finland's defence team.
Herranen said he is confident that the 2030 production date will be reached on time.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb was planning to attend Tuesday's unveiling ceremony, but cancelled the trip to take part in European talks on the Ukrainian peace process in Berlin.
US President Donald Trump was absent from the event, but so too was any mention of him during the ceremony. His administration's new national security policy, which has upset leaders in Europe, was also left unaddressed at the event.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth was not at the event either. Minister Häkkänen said that he last spoke to his US counterpart a couple of weeks ago.
During opening statements at the unveiling, the head of Lockheed Martin's aerospace division, Greg Ulmer, said that by acquiring the F-35s, Finland is ensuring closer cooperation with the US for decades to come.