Finnish Air Force Participates in Trident Juncture 18 to Enhance Interoperability

Air Force

12.10.2018 11.41

Press release

Finnish Air Force takes part in Trident Juncture 18 with nine F/A-18 Hornet multi-role fighters and approximately 160 airmen. In addition to Finnish aircraft, Rovaniemi Air Base hosts air force units from the United States and Belgium.

F/A-18 Hornet Rovaniemellä

From 25 October to 7 November, units from the Army, Navy and Air Force train executing the tasks of the Finnish Defence Forces in a demanding multinational environment. The aim of Finland’s participation in Trident Juncture 18 (TRJE18) is to strengthen national defence capability and to enhance international interoperability.

Finnish Air Force participates in TRJE18 with two detachments. Five F/A-18s and 50 airmen will be deployed to Ørland Air Base in Norway. Four F/A-18s and approximately 100 airmen take part in the exercise at Rovaniemi Air Base in Finland. In addition, a few Finnish airmen serve in the exercise’s staff-level positions.

Air operations of TRJE18 take place mainly in the airspace of Norway and Sweden. The air forces participating in the exercise operate from four Norwegian air bases (Ørland, Bodø, Andøya and Gardermoen), Rovaniemi Air Base in Finland and Kallax Air Base in Sweden. In total, around 150 aircraft participate in TRJE18.

For the Finnish Air Force, one of the goals of participating in exercise TRJE18 is to test Host Nation Support arrangements. In addition to Finnish aircraft, Rovaniemi Air Base will host air force units from the United States and Belgium. Aircraft operating from Rovaniemi include Finnish F/A-18 Hornet multi-role fighters, Belgian F-16 Fighting Falcon multi-role fighters as well as United States Air Force F-15C Eagle multi-role fighters and KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling aircraft.

The naval exercise Northern Coasts (NOCO18), held simultaneously around the Baltic Sea, is connected to TRJE18. Finnish Air Force participates in NOCO18, led and hosted by the Finnish Navy, with approximately 40 airmen, two F/A-18s, two Hawk jet trainers, two Pilatus PC-12 liaison aircraft and one Learjet 35 A/S. Aircraft participating in NOCO18 will operate from Turku, Pirkkala and Rissala.

TRJE18 is NATO’s high-visibility exercise. The alliance organizes high-visibility exercises every three years. Finland participates in Trident Juncture 18 as an Enhanced Opportunities Partner of NATO. More than 50,000 soldiers from 31 countries take part in the exercise.

Finnish Defence Forces' TRJE18 introduction video (YouTube)