Finland will host trilateral military exercises of NATO member states for the first time
For the first time, Finland will become the host country of the trilateral military exercises Arctic Trident, which will unite the air forces of three powerful NATO member states. All key air bases of Finland are involved in these maneuvers, informs Over.
The main purpose of the exercises is to train mobile combat tactics, practice coordination of actions and interoperability between fighters of the fourth and fifth generations. The training will take place from June 16 to 27, 2025. More than 40 aircraft and approximately 1,000 military personnel are involved.
Air Force Headquarters in Tikkakoski will be in charge. NATO-owned RQ-4D Phoenix joint reconnaissance drones will operate from the Satakunta base in Pirkkala, marking the first time these aircraft have been deployed from Finnish territory. The RQ-4Ds are based in Sigonella, Italy, and have been operating in the airspace of Finland since September 2023 as part of military cooperation with the Allies.
“The dependence of NATO’s Joint Surveillance Force on Finland and operations in Finnish airspace will significantly improve the joint situational awareness of the Armed Forces and the entire Alliance,” – said Colonel Vesa Mantilya, the head of the Air Force Operational Directorate and the head of the exercises.
The exercise flights will be coordinated from bases in Rovaniemi, Kuusamo, Kuopio, Jyväskylä, Tampere and Oulu. They will take place on weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and on June 20, 2025, the eve of the summer solstice, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
