Finnish Air Force to participate in Luftförsvarsövning 21 in Sweden

The Finnish Air Force will deploy F/A-18 Hornet multi-role fighters and Hawk jet trainers to the Swedish Air Force's Luftförsvarsövning 21 (LFÖ 21) exercise on 21–27 October 2021.

LFÖ 21 is the Swedish Air Force’s main exercise of 2021. For the Finnish Air Force, the aim of the exercise is to plan and execute air operations, base operations, as well as control and reporting centre functions in cooperation with the Swedish Air Force.  

During LFÖ 21, the Finnish Air Force will fly in both the defending and the adversary units of the exercise. A detachment of six Finnish F/A-18 Hornets operating from Såtenäs Air Base will take part in the air operations of the defending forces, whereas a detachment of three Hawks based at Visby, Gotland, will join the adversary operations.

The Finnish and Swedish air forces have participated in each other’s national main live air exercises since 2016 as part of the defence cooperation between the two nations. This year, both countries’ air forces organise their main exercises in October. The Swedish Air Force took part in the Finnish Air Force's Ruska 21 air operations exercise on 4–9 October 2021.