Constanta When the sun rises over the Black Sea, the F/A-18 Hornet fighters of the Finnish Air Force are already ready to take off in the sky of Romania to respond to possible enemy activity.
This is a historic moment. For the first time, Finland is participating in NATO’s peacetime missions abroad.
For the next two months, Finnish fighter jets will protect NATO airspace in Romania, Bulgaria and the Black Sea region.
Air surveillance duty operations and patrol flights are carried out with armed fighters equipped with anti-aircraft missiles, cannons and self-defense systems. This is not an exercise.
Finnish fighters are on duty every other week with the British Royal Air Force.
Britain participates in air surveillance with six Eurofighter Typhoon fighters and a detachment of around two hundred people. The strength of the Finnish division is seven Hornets and about 90 soldiers.
When Finland’s and Britain’s tasks end at the end of July, Spain takes over the supervision.
At that time, the Finnish equipment and crew will return to Finland.
Increased presence since the annexation of Crimea
NATO decided to increase its presence on its eastern border along the Black Sea in 2014, when Russia occupied the Crimean peninsula belonging to Ukraine.
Since then, NATO countries have alternately participated in monitoring the airspace of Romania’s east coast.
It is a strategically important area. The southernmost border of Ukraine is only a hundred kilometers away. The journey to Crimea, which is occupied by Russia, is about 300 kilometers.
Finland, which joined the defense alliance a year ago, is now participating for the first time in NATO’s enhanced air surveillance in the region.
Finland adapted to the NATO environment
We have arrived at the Mihail Kogălniceanu military airport to observe how the Finnish Air Force has survived its first NATO operation.
The Finnish department is headed by a lieutenant colonel Rami Lindström.
– The task has started well. We sent in a team of builders three weeks before the main force arrived and have had a lot of support from the British and US air forces in deploying NATO systems.
– Our primary task here is to protect and secure NATO’s airspace. In addition to that, we participate in NATO’s joint Air Shielding exercises and simultaneously conduct national flight training. Naturally, our goal is also to promote integration into NATO and develop the ability to operate abroad.
According to Lindström, the lessons learned from Romania’s task are invaluable for Finland. According to him, the ability of all NATO countries to work together is a huge asset for the alliance.
The British Air Force is already conducting its fifth tour of air surveillance in Romania. Finland now for the first time. Nevertheless, the task description is familiar to Finland.
Finland has long experience in monitoring the eastern border, the Gulf of Finland and the Baltic region.
Lindström describes the airspace as very clear and the space to be protected now significantly smaller than what we are used to on Finland’s long eastern border.
The military airport used by Finland is located on the shores of the Black Sea and the Ukrainian border is nearby. According to Lindström, Finland’s actions are not different from usual, even though Romania’s neighbor Ukraine is already at war with Russia for the third year.
– NATO focuses on protecting its own airspace, and it has never provoked Russia by penetrating deep into the Black Sea region.
According to the commanders there, Russian interference in the region has not increased either, even though NATO has increased its presence in the region.
Last week, Finland participated in NATO’s tests, which measured the air force’s ability to conduct independent air surveillance in the Black Sea region in accordance with NATO’s requirements. On Tuesday, Finland was granted authorization to operate.
According to Lindström, Finland performed well in the NATO tests, even though the preparation for them required a lot of work. Only the introduction of NATO’s common encrypted communication systems caused a small additional challenge for the Finns.
The talents of Finns have been taken into account
Lindström’s assessments of Finland’s capabilities and quick adaptation to the NATO environment are also supported by his British partners.
– The cooperation with the Finns has been fantastic. Their credentials in the field of flying are second to none, and we can learn a great deal from them. That’s what we intend to do while we’re here, says the lieutenant colonel of the British Air Force Karl Bird.
Bird leads the operations of the British Royal Air Force in Romania.
– The Finns are particularly good at Agile combat deployment (agile combat readiness), and there is a strong desire to develop that in Britain. Working with Finland provides a good opportunity for this.
British Air Force Ninth Squadron Commander Lt. Col Richard Leask is also convinced of Finns’ abilities.
– The presence of the Finns is wonderful, and the country’s adaptation has seemed seamless. I have not noticed any shortcomings in their abilities compared to other countries.
In addition to airspace control, Finnish pilots also train together with the British.
– Our first combat exercises against the Finns are today. The Finnish Hornets have their own evasion moves that only they are capable of. Our machines have a lot of power again and we have to try to find solutions to their tricks, Leask says with a twinkle in his eye.
Finland is part of a large-scale military exercise
At the same time as Finland’s air surveillance missions, NATO’s Ramstein Legacy 24 exercises are also organized in Constanța.
In addition to Romanian soldiers, air defense units from Poland, Germany, France, Turkey and Hungary have gathered at the Capu Midia military base on the Black Sea coast.
During the week, the NATO countries are practicing air surveillance and air defense cooperation. Romanian Air Force Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base Commander Colonel Nikolae Crețu calls the exercises the most challenging of the entire summer.
Crețu also says that he is satisfied with the cooperation with the Finns.
What thoughts does the cooperation of Finns in Romania evoke? You can discuss the topic until 11 p.m.