Boeing's EA-18G fighter plane under consideration by Finnish military

Feb. 20 (UPI) -- The Defense Department approved an offer for Boeing and the U.S. Navy to provide the EA-18G Growler fighter plane to the Finnish Defense Forces.

Finland's Ministry of Defense invited offers from aircraft manufacturers and governments in January for bids to replace its F/A-18 C/D Hornet fleet. Other responses thus far include the Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet and Lockheed Martin F-35 of the United States, the Dassault Rafale of France, the Eurofighter Typhoon of Great Britain and the Saab Gripen of Sweden. The offers include technical systems needed for operating the aircraft, training systems, maintenance tools, testing equipment and spare parts as well as weapons, sensors and other support functions.

Australia is the only foreign country, so far, to be authorized to purchase the Growler. Finland seeks the eventual purchase of 64 aircraft capable of replacing its aging fleet.

Boeing calls its plane the world's most advanced airborne electric attack platform, "capable of disrupting, deceiving or denying a broad range of military electronic systems including radar and communication systems."