Finnish Air Force at 100

80 // OCTOBER 2018 #367 http://www.airforcesmonthly.com

stablished as an independent

entity on March 6, 1918, the Finnish

Air Force (Ilmavoimat) – one of

several national air arms celebrating a

centenary this year – marked its first 100

years with a huge airshow in June.

Colonel Mikko Punnala, commandant of

Tikkakoski Air Base (AB), said the event was

designed to showcase the ‘home team’: “An

early decision was made not to invite any

foreign participants and to concentrate only on

showing what the Ilmavoimat was in the past,

what it is now and what the future may see.”

A notable exception was linked to

Finland’s current quest for a replacement

for its F/A-18C/D Hornet fighters, with all

five bidders for the requirement present

at the show in one form or another.

Finland has endured several bloody wars,

followed by economic hardship. This is a

nation that’s learned powerful lessons from

a past that’s clearly influenced the way it

looks ahead. When it comes to military

procurement, it strives to negotiate

pragmatic programmes that serve both

domestic and international needs.

This holds true in ‘HX’, the requirement to

replace its 62 Hornets with a brand new type

which will see the Ilmavoimat fighter evolution

move into a new era – part of a tradition

going back to the de Havilland Vampire,

its first jet to enter service, in 1953. The

Folland Gnat and Fouga Magister followed,

through to the Draken and MiG-21 and the

current F/A-18. Several of these jets were

present for the 100th anniversary event

at Tikkakoski on June 16 and 17.

Worth between €7bn and €10bn, the

competition to provide Finland with 64

new fighters has drawn considerable

international attention. The French

Air Force came to the show with

three Dassault Rafales, supported

by one of its recently delivered

Lockheed Martin C-130Js, while

the British-led Eurofighter Typhoon

bid was strongly represented

with one jet from each of its

Derek Bower evaluates the

Finnish aerospace industry as

the nation’s air force celebrates

its centenary while preparing to

replace its Hornets.

Finland

forges ahead

E

Above: Finnish Air Force F/A-18D HN4564 conducts

an aerial refuelling mission over Finland with

a USAF KC-135 Stratotanker (assigned to RAF

Mildenhall, Suffolk), in May last year. Finland

originally acquired only seven two-seat Hornets

and the HX buy could see an increased proportion

of ‘twin-stickers’. USAF/Tech Sgt David Dobrydney

Below: A Finnish Hornet re-joins the fray during

an Arctic Challenge Exercise sortie over Norway.

Under the HX requirement, Finland plans to acquire

64 new fi ghters to replace its 62 surviving Hornets.

USAF/1st Lt Christopher Mesnard

Finland

forges ahead

80-82 Finland AFM Oct2018.indd 80 9/10/2018 11:22:25 AM