Key facts
- Finland and Sweden jointly intercepted Russian military aircraft over the Gulf of Finland on Sept. 24.
- This was the first joint operation of its kind between the two Nordic countries.
- The Russian formation included Tu-134 transport aircraft, MiG-31 fighters, and Su-30 fighters.
- Swedish Air Force Commander General Jonas Wikman stated the operation demonstrated seamless cooperation.
- NATO countries have seen increased Russian hybrid threats and airspace violations.
Finland and Sweden's air forces conducted their first joint operation on Sept. 24, scrambling Finnish F/A-18 Hornets and Swedish JAS 39 Gripen jets to intercept and identify a Russian formation over the Gulf of Finland. The Russian formation included Tu-134 transport aircraft, MiG-31 fighters, and Su-30 fighters, which remained in international airspace.
The Finnish Air Force stated that the enhanced cooperation now allows for joint identification missions and Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) fighters to operate from each other’s air bases. General Jonas Wikman, Commander of the Swedish Air Force, described the operation as "what close cooperation looks like in practice," adding that "Built over years on trust and strong personal relationships, we can now operate seamlessly together – as air forces, as nations and as Allies."
Russian military aircraft regularly operate around the Baltic. Between Aug. 31 and Sept. 6 alone, NATO fighter jets were scrambled at least three times to intercept Russian aircraft near the Baltic states. These included multiple intercepts of Russian Il-20 reconnaissance planes flying without active transponders or filed flight plans, as well as an aerial border incursion into Estonian airspace.
The joint September mission follows a serious encounter on June 12, when Sweden was forced to scramble its Gripen jets twice in a single day to intercept Russian Su-24 Fencer and Su-34 Fullback strike aircraft operating aggressively close to Swedish airspace. The operational mission marks the concrete implementation of the Nordic Air Power cooperation. Alongside Norway and Denmark, the newly expanded alliance is actively working to turn the Baltic Sea region into a highly synchronized defensive barrier on NATO's eastern flank.
NATO countries are experiencing increasing tension ramped up by a surge in Russian hybrid threats. Baltic governments have increasingly accused Moscow of launching cyberattacks, orchestrating regional sabotage, and attempting to destabilize public opinion. Europe is on edge as Russia seemingly tests resolve and defensive response. From suspected sabotage at Germany's Leipzig Airport on Aug. 5, a Russian warship firing flares at a Danish military helicopter on Sept. 15, and Russian drone incursions into NATO airspace, Moscow is constantly probing the alliance.