Rovaniemi Air Base, 1 November 2018 – Belgian Air Force F-16 taking off from Rovaniemi Air Base to support NATO exercise Trident Juncture 2018. Photo: OR-7 Christian Timmig
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The Finnish Air Force will lead the multinational Atlantic Trident 25 air exercise from 16 to 27 June, marking the first time the exercise has been held outside the United States, United Kingdom or France.
The biennial exercise involves air forces from all three countries and now includes Finland as a host nation. More than 40 aircraft and around 1,000 personnel will take part.
The drills will be coordinated from Air Force Command Finland in Tikkakoski, near Jyväskylä. Aircraft will also operate from air bases in Rovaniemi, Kuusamo, Kuopio, Tampere and Oulu. Training flights are scheduled on weekdays between 9am and 5pm and on Midsummer Eve, 20 June, from 9am to noon.
“Finland is a part of NATO’s network of air bases, so we must be prepared to receive Allied reinforcements,” Colonel Vesa Mäntylä of Air Force Command Finland said in a statement.
He added that the drills will focus on joint air operations and command and control, enhancing collective defence and deterrence capabilities within NATO.
The exercise includes both fourth and fifth-generation fighter aircraft and aims to develop interoperability and combat readiness among NATO and close partner forces.
Atlantic Trident has previously been hosted in the US, UK and France. This year’s relocation to Finland reflects the country’s recent accession to NATO and growing integration into Allied defence planning.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
