NATO is preparing for a possible war. The Alliance is conducting exercises

In central Finland, Dutch F-35 fighter pilots and Finnish F/A-18 Hornet fighter pilots practice landing on a closed road for traffic. The maneuvers aim to better prepare for a possible conflict with Russia.

The Dutch F-35 Lightning, 1 of the most modern fighters in the world, picks up from the runway located among the Finnish forests of Pirkkala Airport. It is equipped with stealth technology, making it hard to detect by radar.

The aircraft takes a course on a location close another military air base, Tikkakoski, closed for traffic section of the highway. It spins a wide circle, after which, at a velocity of almost 300 km/h, it approaches the ground, performing a touchdown maneuver, then the pilot increases engine power and rapidly picks up the device up for further flight, without stopping on the belt. It almost vertically rises into the air, leaving behind a cloud of dust. A large bang fills the neighborhood.

Another F-35 after a fewer twelve seconds does the same exercise, after which the pair repeats them respective times and moves away. 1 of the aircraft to say goodbye wave its wings, and shortly the Finnish Hornet fighters appear in the sky, which execute the same exercises.

Planes participate in Baan maneuvers (in Finnish dialect means road), organized annually by Finnish air force, during which pilots train approaches to landing on highways. Baana is simply a consequence to threats specified as rocket attacks on airbases.

The Dutch flew to Finland to learn from the Finns due to the fact that for the last time akin maneuvers were carried out in the Netherlands 41 years ago, even on F-16 aircraft.

Brigadier General Marcel van Egmond of the Royal Dutch Air Force told PAP that maneuvers - this is the implementation in practice of a modern military concept, referred to as the dispersed deployment of combat forces (agile Combat Employment). It is simply a doctrine developed mainly by the US Air Force (USAF), which is gaining importance besides in the armed forces of NATO states, including Finland.

It assumes that alternatively of operating only from large, well-equipped bases (which are easy to attack), aircraft and aviation personnel are dispersed to smaller, mobile locations (e.g. highways, temporary landing sites). Air personnel must be capable of fast movement and combat activities must be possible even with limited method facilities, i.e. without hangars or radars.

NATO Exercises

Why is this important? In the event of a conflict, precise rocket attacks make large air bases an easy target, and distributed deployment will make the air force more likely to survive. If the pilots can take off from the highways and land on them, they will be able to fight even if their airports are completely destroyed.

"The exercises in Finland are a large chance to gain experience in this area" - said PAP General van Egmond.

The Finnish Air Force regularly organizes maneuvers utilizing roads as temporary runways. Last year the pilots of the German Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft and the American F-35 Lightning took part.

The Finns stress that the best example of their driving is Ukrainian aviation, which is inactive fighting against Russia, despite the immense advantage of Russian aviation in the air.

"We are very arrogant of what we do. Our goal is not only to last but to fight," said Lt. Col. Sami Nenonen, Head of Exercise and Deputy Commandant of the Finnish Air Force Academy. This university operates at the Tikkakoska base.

Finnish pilots will shortly say good-bye to the utilized Hornets and will besides sit behind the F-35 controls. 1 of them told PAP that although both types of aircraft are very good, it would be like moving from Mercedes to Porsche. With F-35, the Finnish sky will be even better protected.

"F/A -18 is simply a solid working horse. It was a good plane, and it was a good acquisition in the 1990s. He was very well suited to our needs. The F-35 will, however, be a qualitative leap in the capabilities of our air force" - emphasized Jan Bjurström, Lieutenant Colonel of the Finnish Air Force.

Marcel van Egmond besides praises these fighters. "F-35 is simply a fresh 5th generation of fighter aircraft. The strength of this aircraft is to integrate the sensor strategy with the pilot's actions, which, together with stealth technology, which minimizes its detection by hostile reflection systems, makes it a very efficient aircraft" - said PAP.

Poland signed an F-35 acquisition agreement in January 2020. It is to receive 32 aircraft with logistics and training package. The first provides spare and operational parts, ground handling equipment and pilot equipment, a computer operating management system. The second package includes comprehensive training of pilots and method personnel in the US. According to the announcement of Lockheed Martin, the first F-35A will be sent to Poland in 2026, first to the base in Łask and in 2027 to the base in Świdwin.

Exercises in Finland will last until Friday.

Source: PAP