Finland Joins NATO Air Exercise in Baltic Sea for the First Time
NATO Conducts Ramstein Alloy Air Exercise with Finland for the First Time
NATO’s Ramstein Alloy 2023-1 air exercise was conducted over the Baltic Sea with the participation of seven countries, including Turkey, Germany, Portugal, Romania, Finland, Lithuania, and Spain. For the first time in the history of NATO’s Ramstein Alloy exercises, Finnish aircraft took part in the military exercise as a member state.
The exercise included various real-life air scenarios that civilian aircraft might encounter. The warplanes of allied countries performed a variety of missions, including escorting civilian aircraft to the airport in case of communication loss. F-16 aircraft conducted combat missions and provided close air support to ground forces.
The exercise aimed to increase coordination between NATO allies and integrate allied aircraft into the Baltic airspace. According to a statement from NATO, the participation of Finnish planes in the exercise has increased the alliance’s coordination and integration capabilities.
Finland became a member of the alliance on April 4, 2023, and this exercise was the first time Finnish aircraft participated in a NATO exercise. In total, seven NATO member states participated in the exercise, which is a testament to the alliance’s commitment to strengthening its capabilities and coordination among its members.
