Finnish Air Force to train pilots in night flying from three bases

The Finnish Air Force will train fighter pilots in night flying from three bases between late October and mid-December, Yle reports. The training will include air combat in darkness and may bring noise and occasional lights in the sky.

The training is routine and has not been increased, Lieutenant Colonel Janne Källi of the Air Force said. He said the Air Force aims to reduce disturbance by directing flights over areas without settlements.

The Air Force Academy at Tikkakoski in Jyväskylä, the Karelia Air Wing at Rissala in Siilinjärvi and the Lapland Air Wing in Rovaniemi will take part. Flights will end between 10 p.m. and midnight, depending on the area, and schedules may change.

At Tikkakoski, Fighter Squadron 41 will fly Hawk jet trainers, which are quieter than Hornet fighters. Noise in Central Finland is expected mainly near the airport, though overflights may also be heard in Jyväskylä.

Squadrons at Rissala and Rovaniemi will fly F/A-18 Hornets. Flights from Rissala will cover North Savo, North Karelia and Kainuu. From Rovaniemi, aircraft will fly over Lapland, North Ostrobothnia and Kainuu, as well as the Bothnian Bay.

Aircraft lights may be visible during the exercises. Hornets may also release flares, which can appear as brief bright flashes. The flares are part of the aircraft’s defensive systems and can distract heat-seeking missiles.

The Air Force’s task is to monitor and secure Finland’s airspace continuously. Källi said the night-flight training remains at its usual level despite the unstable security situation in Europe following Russia’s expanded attack on Ukraine in 2022.