Finland expands joint F-35 operations with European NATO partners under new memorandum
Together with five NATO allies, Finland is broadening shared use of F-35A Lightning II jets, crew and armaments. The Capacity on Call memorandum, signed last year, defines pilot exchanges, cross-servicing of aircraft and joint ammunition pools. Recent multinational training, including the Weapons Instructor Course, featured Danish pilots flying Norwegian jets and live-fire exercises with Dutch and Norwegian weapons. A Finnish pilot also joined a six-nation sortie, marking the first European-based F-35 flight for Finland. Officials say the initiative will increase flexibility and collective defence among the partners.
Finland is strengthening its F-35 collaboration with Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium and the United States under the Capacity on Call agreement. The memorandum, concluded last year, creates three cooperation pillars: Interfly pilot swaps, cross-servicing of aircraft by mechanics, and shared use of compatible missiles and bombs. The latest Weapons Instructor Course, co-hosted by the Netherlands and Norway, saw Danish pilots operate Norwegian F-35s and conduct live-fire drills that involved Dutch and Norwegian ordnance.
Finnish pilots participated in a six-nation multinational sortie, the first time a Finnish F-35 pilot flew a European-based jet. Air Force operations chief Vesa Mäntylä said the growing interoperability will bolster both Finland’s national defence and NATO’s collective security.
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