A Norwegian F-35 is in the foreground, while a Finnish Air Force F/A-18 Hornet is below. Photo: Finnish Air Force.
For the past three weeks, the Finnish Air Force has been involved in a significant exercise in Norway, practicing joint operations with fifth-generation F-35 fighters as part of the FWIC 24 (Fighter Weapons Instructor Course 24) exercise. This exercise aims to enhance NATO's operational capabilities in the Arctic region and prepare the Finnish Air Force to receive the first batch of American fifth-generation aircraft at Rovaniemi Air Base in 2026.
Five Finnish F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets and a team of about 70 Finnish Air Force technicians participated in the FWIC 24 air force exercise in Norway from 10 July to 2 August 2024. During this time, the Finnish Air Force flight and technical personnel were based at the Norwegian base in Ørland. In addition to the Finnish Air Force, fourth- and fifth-generation fighters from allied countries took part in the exercise. In total, about twenty aircraft took part in the exercise, and the flights were conducted in Norwegian airspace, mainly over the Norwegian Sea.
Lieutenant Colonel Jaakko Salomäki, Chief of the Air Force Training Directorate, confirmed that the exercise was a success.
From our side, the FWIC 24 air operations exercise was successful in cooperation with the participating multirole F-35 fighters of the Royal Norwegian and Netherlands Air Forces and fourth-generation fighters of allied countries. The changing weather conditions on the Norwegian coast brought its own nuances to the air exercises. The working methods and air force culture of the countries participating in the exercise serve as an excellent standard and is a starting point for future Finnish Air Force operations with the F-35, says Lieutenant Colonel Salomäki, who is also the Director of the Finnish Air Force Combat Training Centre.
Finnish Air Force F/A-18 Hornet in the foreground and Royal Norwegian Air Force F-35 in the background. Photo: Finnish Air Force.
As for the Finnish Air Force, one of the main goals of FWIC 24 was to practice cooperation with fifth-generation fighters in complex air operations. This type of training is called Fighter Integration (FI), for which there are agreed international standards. The aim of the programme is to optimise the combat capabilities of two different generations of fighters by using their strengths.
The interaction of fourth and fifth generation fighters and the optimal use of their capabilities is demonstrated, for example, by the use of the F-35's advanced sensors for target detection and the Hornet's ability to carry a large number of different types of missiles, says Salomäki.
A ground-based photo shows a Finnish Air Force F/A-18 Hornet taking off from the runway at Ørland Air Base with a Norwegian village in the background. Photo: Norwegian Defence Forces (Forsvaret) / Håkon Ugelstad Størseth.
During FWIC 24, more than twenty aircraft from different NATO countries were in the air at the same time. Each flight day air exercises were preceded by several hours of joint planning, followed by sorties. After the training sorties were completed, the results were analysed according to a standardised process.
The starting point for everything is air operations that are carried out effectively but also safely. Taking into account the different possibilities is part of their effective planning and execution. Planning and implementing multi-dimensional joint operations is a challenging and instructive task, as almost all of them must have alternative scenarios, says Salomäki.
It was important for the Finns to deepen their competence and professionalism in using the F-35 in various situations, and FWIC 24 was a major step for the Finnish Air Force in preparing for the introduction of the fifth-generation aircraft.
- It was important to learn about the F-35 system operating standards during the exercise, because we will apply them when deploying the F-35 fleet. One of the goals of the exercise was to introduce the F-35 to different industries, so that we would know in advance how we can operate the F-35 in Finland. According to Salomäki, it is important to recognize the changes the F-35 will bring to air and ground operations, as well as other planning processes, including the growing security challenges.
A Finnish Air Force F/A-18 Hornet with a Royal Norwegian Air Force F-35 during FWIC 24. Photo: Finnish Air Force.
The Finnish flight detachment included pilots, flight planning support personnel, avionics and radio-electronics, aircraft equipment and weapons specialists, as well as rescuers, physical security and general maintenance specialists.
Our goal is to have everything working as well as possible when the first F-35 multirole fighters land in Rovaniemi in 2026. The F-35 requires major changes in the operation of this aircraft, which requires early training of personnel from different industries. And this is happening at a time when the Hornets are still in full operation - so there is enough work for everyone, but learning something new is perceived as a positive and encouraging experience, says Salomäki.
The first F-35 fighters will enter service with the Finnish Air Force in late 2025 as part of the initial training program for Finnish pilots on the F-35, which will be conducted in the United States. The first F-35 fighters will arrive in Finland in the second half of 2026, after which the Finnish Air Force will operate the F/A-18 Hornet and F-35 together until the end of 2030.
The FWIC 24 air operations exercise ended on August 2, when the F/A-18 Hornets returned to Finland.
A Finnish Air Force F/A-18 Hornet fighter with a Royal Norwegian Air Force F-35 fighter during the FWIC 24 exercise. Photo: Photo: Finnish Air Force.
Source: Ilmavoimat
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