FIN EMAR 145 Approval for Military Aircraft Maintenance Organisations

The Defence Forces organisations performing maintenance activities for military aircraft or their components have been granted approvals in accordance with the new Military Aviation Regulation.

The military aircraft maintenance organisation approvals issued to the Satakunta Air Command, Lapland Air Command, Karelia Air Command, Air Force Academy, Utti Jaeger Regiment and 3rd Logistics Regiment of the Defence Forces Logistics Command were reclassified from fixed-term approvals to approvals of an indefinite duration on 1 August 2023. A corresponding approval has earlier been granted to companies in the defence industry (Patria Aviation Oy, Insta ILS OY, Finnair OYJ and Millog Oy). 

A significant stage in the development of national maintenance organisations’ activities to comply with the European Military Airworthiness Requirements (EMAR) as well as NATO requirements has been reached. 

In 2021 the Military Aviation Authority Finland (FIMAA) published the requirements for maintenance organisations based on the harmonised common European military airworthiness requirements in the Military Aviation Regulation SIM-To-Lt-031 (FIN EMAR 145). Previously military aircraft maintenance activities both in the Defence Forces and national defence industry have been based on the Military Aviation Regulation issued in 2007. The transition from procedures by the old regulation to maintenance activities specified in the new one has required close cooperation between the Air Force Command, related military units and Military Aviation Authority.

The Logistics Division of the Air Force Command has coordinated and supported the Defence Forces military aircraft maintenance organisations in their work to meet the requirements of the new regulation. FIMAA has audited the compliance of the maintenance organisations of the Defence Forces units and verified that the requirements are met and thus granted approvals as laid down in the new regulation.

The approval certifies that the organisation’s activities fulfil the regulation requirements and are on the same level as those of the other European military aircraft maintenance organisations. This will also be relevant when the maintenance of F-35 fighter jets begins in Finland. The F-35 Joint Programme Office (JPO) requires that an F-35 maintenance organisation meets the requirements either of the US Air Force or Navy or the requirements stated in EMAR 145 (in Finland SIM-To-Lt-031). Compliance with these requirements was also the NATO’s prerequisite for approving the Defence Forces military airworthiness system.