RAMSTEIN, Germany - Air forces from Denmark, Finland and Sweden conducted a coordinated operation over the Baltic Sea on Wednesday, May 21, enhancing NATO's collective defence posture and reinforcing regional security through integrated training.
This training drives our cooperation forward.
The exercise, known as Nordic Combat Enhanced Training, brought together Danish F-16s, Finnish F/A-18 Hornets, and Swedish JAS 39 Gripens. Finnish aircraft deployed to Ronneby Air Base in Sweden, where mechanics from Finland and Sweden performed cross-servicing tasks, demonstrating advanced interoperability in maintenance operations and Agile Combat Employment (ACE).
A Danish pilot walks to his jet in a joint exercise between the Air forces of Denmark, Finland and Sweden, enhancing NATO's collective defence posture and reinforcing regional security through integrated training. (Photo courtesy of the Swedish Air Force)
An Allied fighter aircraft taxis during a coordinated operation between the Air forces from Denmark, Finland and Sweden. The activity enhances NATO's collective defence posture and reinforces regional security through integrated training. (Photo courtesy of the Swedish Air Force)
Air forces from Denmark, Finland and Sweden conducted a coordinated operation enhancing NATO's collective defence posture and reinforcing regional security through integrated training. (Photo courtesy of the Swedish Air Force)
Conducted under the Nordic Airpower Concept (NAPC), the operation encompassed joint planning and command of air operations, coordinated use of air bases, enhanced situational awareness, and joint education and training. These efforts aim to bolster NATO’s agility and readiness across the region.
“The security situation and expectations demand swift transition from planning to action,” said Colonel Carl-Fredrik Edström of the Swedish Air Force, lead for the Nordic division at the Norwegian Joint Air Operation Centre (JAOC). “This training drives our cooperation forward. We have tested key conditions for virtual collaboration and shown we are on course for Nordic Air Forces Fighting as One.”
The mission featured a common Nordic Air Tasking Order, dynamic and pre-planned targeting, and coordination with Joint Tactical Air Controllers. The initiative reflects the rapid maturation of cooperation among Nordic air forces and their role in strengthening NATO’s defensive capabilities.
As part of NATO’s integrated deterrence efforts, the exercise demonstrated the Allies’ ability to respond collectively and decisively, reinforcing the Alliance’s posture of unity, readiness, and regional stability through joint action.