Finnish Air Force to fly training missions with the US and German Air Forces.

The Finnish Air Force will fly training missions with the United States Air Force and German Air Force between 16 and 18 March 2021. The missions, focusing on dissimilar air combat training, will be flown in Finnish airspace as part of the Finnish Air Force's daily flight operations.

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F/A-18 from the Finnish Air Force (Picture source: Airwolfhound)

In addition to Finnish F/A-18 Hornet multi-role fighters, the training missions will involve United States Air Force F-15 Eagle multi-role fighters from the 48th Fighter Wing and a KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling aircraft from the 100th Air Refueling Wing, as well as German Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon multi-role fighters from the 74th Tactical Air Force Wing (Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 74).

"Flying multinational training missions in Finnish airspace is a cost-effective and Covid-safe way to train with partners, as our F/A-18s can operate out of their home bases. Cooperation enables dissimilar air combat training with different types of aircraft as well as air-to-air refueling currency training ", says Lieutenant Colonel Inka Niskanen, Commander of Fighter Squadron 31, Karelia Air Command.

The training missions will be conducted in the course of the Finnish Air Force's daily flight operations between 16 and 18 March 2021. U.S. aircraft will operate from air bases in the Baltic states, and German Eurofighters from Ämari Air Base in Estonia. The missions will be flown in an area bordering on Tampere, Seinäjoki, Kokkola, Oulu and Jyväskylä.

International cooperation improves Finland's defence capability, and belongs to the Air Force's tasks. The Finnish Air Force flies training missions regularly with partner nations' detachments operating out of air bases in the Baltic states. These missions are part of the Finnish Defence Forces' international training and exercise activities.