Protective Fence 25 to strengthen the Finnish Air Force’s defence capability and readiness
The Finnish Air Force will conduct the Protective Fence 25 exercise from 22 to 26 September 2025. The exercise will involve a total of around 50 aircraft and 1,200 personnel.
Protective Fence 25 will be the largest live-fly air exercise in Finland in autumn 2025. In addition to the Finnish Air Force’s main operating bases, also Oulu, Vaasa and Kokkola-Pietarsaari airports as well as Kallax Air Base in Luleå, Sweden, will be in use.
‒ The objective of Protective Fence 25 is to strengthen the Finnish Air Force’s defence capability and readiness. During the exercise, we will conduct large-force air operations from a dispersed basing posture, in line with the Air Force’s concept of operations, says Colonel Vesa Mäntylä, Exercise Director and Deputy Chief of Staff, Air Force Command Finland.
In addition to Finnish military personnel, also Allied airmen from the Swedish and Danish air forces will participate in Protective Fence 25. Furthermore, the exercise is coordinated with TARASSIS, a series of military activities of the United Kingdom-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF). The series involves exercise activity across the Nordic countries and the Baltic Sea region in September and October 2025.
50 aircraft to take part in the exercise
Protective Fence 25 will involve a total of around 50 aircraft, including 30 Finnish F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets. In addition to the F/A-18s, the Finnish Air Force will contribute Hawk jet trainers as well as transport and liaison aircraft, while the Finnish Army will participate with NH90 helicopters. The Finnish Border Guard will contribute to the exercise with a Dornier 228 surveillance aircraft. The Swedish Air Force will deploy JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets, while both the Swedish and Danish air forces will take part with C-130 Hercules transport aircraft. The Finnish Army will also participate with ground-based air defence and electronic warfare units.
During the exercise, the aircraft will fly not only from the Finnish Air Force’s main operating bases (Rovaniemi, Kuopio-Rissala, Jyväskylä-Tikkakoski and Tampere-Pirkkala), but also from Oulu, Vaasa and Kokkola-Pietarsaari airports as well as from Kallax Air Base in Luleå, Sweden. Flight operations will mainly take place in the airspace bordering on Rovaniemi, Kajaani, Kuopio, Jyväskylä and Vaasa, as well as over the Bay of Bothnia. Flight activity will end by 11 pm each evening.
The exercise will involve low-level flying and supersonic flights. When conducted over the mainland, supersonic flights take place at altitudes above 10 kilometres. During the exercise, aircraft will also employ countermeasures, including flares and chaff. Flares may appear as momentary bright lights in the sky, and chaff can cause false echoes on weather radar.
