Finland, Norway and Sweden have begun joint air force exercises in Finnish Lapland as the Nordic NATO allies deepen cooperation in the strategically important High North. The training at Rovaniemi Air Base in northern Finland’s Lapland region includes efforts to improve the countries’ ability to refuel, rearm and service one another’s fighter aircraft. Norwegian F-35s are due to take part in joint flights with Finnish and Swedish forces during the exercise. The drills form part of a broader push to integrate Nordic air power. Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark have been developing the Nordic Airpower Concept, aimed at enabling their national air forces to plan and conduct operations more closely as a single force. The cooperation has gained greater significance since Finland and Sweden joined NATO following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. NATO has also expanded its presence in northern Finland, where a new multinational force was activated earlier this year. The four Nordic countries collectively operate or are acquiring more than 200 combat aircraft.
