Finnish F/A-18 Hornets train with USAF KC-135 in aerial refueling over Finland

The Finnish Air Force’s F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets will participate in training missions with the United States Air Force’s KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling aircraft from February 10 to 13, 2025.  

The primary objective of these air-to-air refueling (AAR) missions is to ensure Finnish fighter pilots gain, maintain, and renew their AAR qualifications. The Finnish Air Force does not operate its own tanker aircraft and relies on allied aerial refueling support for extended-range missions. 

The Finnish Air Force will conduct these training missions in collaboration with the United States Air Force’s 100th Air Refueling Wing (100 ARW), based at RAF Mildenhall in the United Kingdom. The operation will involve Finnish F/A-18 Hornet multi-role fighters and a USAF KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling aircraft. 

The training exercises will be flown in Finnish airspace, specifically in the region bordering Rovaniemi, Kuusamo, Kajaani, and Oulu in northern Finland.  

Finnish F/A-18s will depart from their home bases in Rovaniemi, Rissala, and Pirkkala, while the KC-135 Stratotanker will operate from Rovaniemi Air Base. This type of training has been conducted regularly since 2009 as part of Finland’s efforts to enhance its aerial refueling capabilities. 

Finnish Air Force leads NATO air policing in Iceland for the first time 

In a historic first, the Finnish Air Force is leading NATO’s Air Policing mission in Iceland. Four Finnish F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets and approximately 50 personnel deployed to Keflavik Air Base as part of NATO’s Airborne Surveillance and Interception Capabilities to meet Iceland’s Peacetime Preparedness Needs (ASIC IPPN). The Finnish fighters will remain on Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) until the end of February 2025. 

The Finnish Air Force is #SecuringTheSkies in the Arctic region. Four F/A-18 Hornet jets & 50 personnel are currently deployed to Iceland to conduct the #NATO Air Policing mission and to ensure the security of Allied airspace.#ilmavoimat #WeAreNATO #StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/kqvoD8g57B— Ilmavoimat (@FinnishAirForce) February 11, 2025

NATO’s Air Policing mission in Iceland has been in place since 2008, with France being the first participating nation to deploy Mirage 2000-5 jets. According to NATO, Finland is the twelfth member to contribute to the mission. 

Iceland does not have an air force or any dedicated air defense capabilities. Apart from a small Icelandic Peacekeeping Guard and the coastguard, the country has no standing military. As a result, NATO allies take turns deploying fighter jets to protect Icelandic airspace. Unlike the Baltic Air Policing mission, which ensures continuous air defense for Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, the Icelandic deployment occurs only three times a year for a period of three to four weeks at a time. 

These developments underscore Finland’s deepening integration into NATO’s defense framework since joining the alliance in April 2023. Alongside neighboring Sweden, which became a member in March 2024, Finland has proactively engaged in joint operations with NATO air forces, reinforcing regional security in the Baltic and the Arctic. 

“Finnish and Swedish air forces have trained and deployed alongside NATO air forces for many years,” a NATO official told AeroTime in an emailed statement. “Finland and Sweden have considerable military capabilities, including advanced fighter aircraft which are fully interoperable with NATO.” 

On June 3, 2024, seven F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets from the Finnish Air Force landed at Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base near Constanta, marking Finland’s first deployment under NATO’s Air Shielding mission. The post Finnish F/A-18 Hornets train with USAF KC-135 in aerial refueling over Finland appeared first on AeroTime.

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