Finnish Air Force to participate in Arctic Fighter Meet 19 in Norway

The Royal Norwegian Air Force will host the Arctic Fighter Meet 19 at Bodø Air Base from 19 to 23 August. The exercise brings together airmen from the Finnish, Swedish and Norwegian Air Forces.

The Finnish Air Force will participate in the exercise with four F/A-18 Hornet multi-role fighters and two Hawk jet trainers. Approximately 70 Finnish airmen will deploy to Bodø. The Royal Norwegian Air Force will take part in the exercise with F-16 Fighting Falcons and the Swedish Air Force with JAS 39 Gripen C/D fighters. The flight operations of Arctic Fighter Meet 19 will take place in Norwegian airspace.

The theme of the annual Arctic Fighter Meet exercises is to fly air combat training missions with different types of adversaries and to familiarize the youngest Finnish, Swedish and Norwegian fighter pilots with international air exercises.

The Finnish, Swedish and Norwegian Air Forces have organized similar exercises regularly since 2003. The Arctic Fighter Meet exercises are a part of the Nordic defence cooperation (NORDEFCO).