Finnish Air Force cyber team successfully completes evaluation in the United States
The Finnish Air Force conducted an evaluation of a cyber team composed of active-duty personnel and reservists together with the Virginia Air National Guard in April 2026.
Approximately 20 personnel from Finland, half of whom were reservists, participated in the Smoked Reindeer 26 exercise held at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. The event was hosted by the 185th Cyberspace Operations Squadron of the 192nd Wing, Virginia Air National Guard.
‒ The purpose of the evaluation was to gain experience and learn best practices from the U.S. training and evaluation system, and to identify lessons applicable to developing Finland’s domestic cyber capabilities, says Major Marcus Lönnqvist, project officer for the evaluation at Air Force Command Finland.
Reservists’ expertise played a central role
This was the first exercise for Finnish Air Force's cyber reservists in the United States. Their expertise was crucial in the success of the evaluation, which significantly enhanced national cyber defence capabilities and interoperability.
‒ We developed leadership practices, operations planning, and situational awareness in a cyber operational environment against a realistic threat model. The evaluation demonstrated that the skills and commitment of Finnish Air Force cyber reservists are at an excellent level, emphasizes Major Janne Voutilainen, leader of the evaluated cyber team.
Most of the participating reservists were professionals who have completed the Finnish Defence Forces' cyber conscript training. The evaluation provided them with meaningful and challenging expert-level tasks.
‒ During the evaluation, we reservists were actively engaged in practical tasks. Our operational methods and technical expertise were effectively applied and demonstrated to Allies. Working with our own team in this context reinforced the understanding that our level of competence is high, one of the participating reservists said.
The exercise demonstrated both the operational capability of the cyber team and the expertise of the reservists.
‒ Leading cyber experts requires multiple skillsets and maintaining shared situational awareness in a fast-paced environment. During the exercise, reservists worked closely with active-duty personnel. This joint effort produced actionable results, learning, and successes that provide a solid foundation for future development, says another reservist involved in the evaluation.
Finnish cyber team met all the evaluation criteria
The evaluation, conducted in an American cyber range, tested both the expertise of the personnel and technical interoperability.
‒ The Finnish Air Force cyber team met both critical and non-critical evaluation criteria. The high level of expertise of Finnish cyber reservists was further recognized when the hosts awarded two reservists with the U.S. cyberspace operator badge, Major Lönnqvist adds.
The 185th Cyberspace Operations Squadron of the Virginia Air National Guard specializes in defensive cyber operations, which protect networks and systems against hostile cyber activity. The national guard's cyber experts train closely with Finns and other Allies.
‒ Cooperation with the hosts went extremely well, and we felt very welcome. The Finnish flag and Finnish camouflage uniforms got positive attention at Langley AFB. The Virginia Air National Guard cyber experts provided strong support during the evaluation, which also represented a significant effort on their part, Major Lönnqvist notes.
State Partnership Program supports Finland’s cyber defence training
The Finnish Defence Forces conduct training and exercises with the Virginia National Guard under the State Partnership Program. The program is part of the bilateral defence cooperation between Finland and the United States. Finland joined the State Partnership Program in 2024.
