Finnish Air Force fighter jets have joined the RAF in Romania protecting NATO’s eastern flank, close to the Black Sea, following an accreditation ceremony today in Romania.
Seven Finnish Air Force F-18 fighter aircraft are taking part in Finland’s first NATO mission, with jets from Karelia Air Wing in Rissala, Finland, along with more than a hundred personnel. They will fly alongside the Royal Air Force and Romanian Air Force as part of NATO’s enhanced Air Policing mission until the end of July.
The air policing mission involving RAF personnel from 140 Expeditionary Air Wing (EAW), their Romanian counterparts, and NATO officials are on standby at a moment’s notice to launch Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) intercepts of Russian aircraft approaching NATO airspace.
“The Royal Air Force is very proud to share the responsibility of enhanced air policing with the Finnish Air Force. We have been working together for months in preparation for their arrival and during the detachment we will learn a lot from each other, the Finnish proficiency is second to none. I want to extend my congratulations to the Finnish Air Force on their accreditation and wish them a successful deployment.”
Wing Commander Bird, Commanding Officer 140 EAW.
Finland joined NATO last year, so this deployment to Romania will be the Finnish Air Force’s first-ever major contribution to NATO's collective peacetime missions.
“For two months, our F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets will do Quick Reaction Alert duty and fly training missions alongside Royal Air Force Typhoons. Thanks to the excellent cooperation with the RAF, we have been able to start our operations successfully here at Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base.
This deployment will be an important milestone in our integration into NATO airpower, which will strengthen both the national defence of Finland and the collective defence of the Alliance."
Lieutenant Colonel Rami Lindström, Officer Commanding Fighter Squadron 31, Karelia Air Wing and Detachment Commander
The countries involved in NATO’s air policing missions rotate on a regular basis and are planned in advance between NATO Allied Air Forces, ensuring collective deterrence and defence protecting and securing the integrity of NATO’s airspace.
