Finnish and Dutch fighter jets turn highway into runway during Baana 25 exercise

The Finnish Air Force kicked off its annual Baana 25 exercise on May 26, 2025, launching flight operations from a section of the E75 highway near Tikkakoski.

The drills, running through May 29, 2025, reflect Finland’s commitment to mobile and dispersed air combat capabilities, which is in line with NATO’s Agile Combat Employment (ACE) concept.

Throughout the week, Finnish Air Force jets, including F/A-18 Hornet fighters, will take off and land on a specially prepared section of Highway 4, which has been temporarily closed to civilian traffic between the Puuppola and Vehniä interchanges. The stretch of road has been converted into a makeshift runway, simulating conditions in which conventional air bases may be compromised or unavailable.

The Finnish Air Force’s Baana 25 exercise has kicked off today. This week, the Air Force is operating from the Tikkakoski highway strip on E75, training in line with its mobile and dispersed battle concept. #ilmavoimat #baana25 pic.twitter.com/sr304XO1gZ— Ilmavoimat (@FinnishAirForce) May 26, 2025

To ensure safety, authorities have banned the use of binoculars or telescopes within a 20-kilometer radius of Jyväskylä-Tikkakoski Airport (JYV) during flight operations, due to the risk of eye injuries from laser reflections used in air defense training. The joint-use airport serves as the Finnish Air Force’s headquarters and houses the Air Force Academy.

In a display of allied interoperability, Royal Netherlands Air Force F-35A fighters are taking part in this year’s exercise. The deployment of Dutch F-35s highlights growing tactical cooperation between Finland and its NATO allies, building on the country’s recent accession to the alliance in 2023.

A longstanding Finnish defense practice

While Baana 25 aligns with NATO’s Agile Combat Employment (ACE) principles, the concept of dispersed operations has long been a cornerstone of Finland’s national defense strategy, even prior to joining the alliance. 

By routinely training to operate from austere and improvised airstrips such as highways, the Finnish Air Force has developed significant expertise in maintaining operational flexibility and resilience under contested conditions. The strategy is designed to enhance survivability, maintain operational continuity, and complicate enemy targeting efforts during conflict scenarios.

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In recent years, foreign air forces have regularly joined the Baana exercises to tap into Finland’s unique expertise in dispersed operations. Notably, during Baana 24, US Air Force F-35A Lightning II fighters and German Eurofighter Typhoons conducted highway landings in Finland for the first time, marking key milestones in the development of NATO’s ACE capabilities.The post Finnish and Dutch fighter jets turn highway into runway during Baana 25 exercise appeared first on AeroTime.

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