Finnish, Swedish fighter jets identify Russian aircraft in 1st joint operational flight

Finnish and Swedish fighter jets carried out their first joint operational identification flight Thursday, identifying Russian military aircraft in international airspace over the Gulf of Finland, the Finnish Air Force said in a statement Friday.

The mission involved Finnish F/A-18 Hornet and Swedish JAS 39 Gripen fighters, which identified a Russian Tu-134 transport aircraft, as well as MiG-31 and Su-30 fighters, the statement said.

The flight was led by Finland’s Air Operations Center as part of bilateral cooperation between the two countries to monitor and protect their airspace.

“The deeper cooperation that began this autumn enables joint operational reconnaissance flights and the use of standby fighters at the other country's bases,” said Col. Vesa Mantyla, the Finnish Air Force’s chief of operations.

Swedish Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Jonas Wikman said years of cooperation had enabled the two forces to operate together.

“This is what close cooperation looks like in practice. Thanks to years of cooperation built on trust and strong personal relationships, we can now operate seamlessly together – as air forces, nations and allies,” he said.

The Finnish Air Force said fighters normally remain on alert at bases in their own countries but can use bases across the border when operational needs require it. The two air forces have also conducted cross-border training flights almost weekly for years, it added.