U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II from VMFA-224 performed touchdown and takeoff operations on a freeway strip in Finland throughout Train Ramstein Flag 2026.
For the primary time, F-35B Lightning II jets of the U.S. Marine Corps performed freeway operations in Finland in the course of the Ramstein Flag 2026 train. The maneuvers passed off from Jun. 8 to 12, 2026 at a freeway strip in Tervo.
The F-35Bs from Marine Fighter Assault Squadron-224 (VMFA-224) “Preventing Bengals” weren’t the one ones at their first participation within the freeway operations in Finland. In truth, the F-35s have been joined by Spanish EF-18s (Spanish Air and House Pressure’s designation for the the legacy F/A-18C/D Hornets) and F-16 Preventing Falcons and M-346 trainers from the Polish Air Pressure (PolAF), the Corps stated in a launch.
The Finnish element of RAFL26 was overseen by the Illmavoimat’s Lappland, Karrelia and Satakunta Air Wings, which function Pirkkala and Rovaniemi air bases. Finland additionally hosted the primary such freeway operations of Italian F-35Bs as nicely, in the course of the Imminent Discipline 26 train that ran from Could 18 to 22.
🪖En ‘Ramstein Flag 26’, el @EjercitoAire , junto a aliados de Estados Unidos y Polonia, han operado por primera vez desde una pista habilitada en una autopista de Finlandia.
💪 Reforzando la cooperación, la interoperabilidad y la capacidad de respuesta.
📹 @FinnishAirForce pic.twitter.com/pyUKlgUbCq
— Ministerio Defensa (@Defensagob) June 17, 2026
The freeway operations have been supported by the unit 2nd Marine Plane Wing’s (2nd MAW) Marine Wing Help Squadron 272 (MWSS 272), providing ahead arming and refueling. Not less than two of every of the EF-18s, F-16s and F-35Bs could be seen within the visuals launched by all of the events concerned within the train.
2nd MAW liaison personnel additionally supported the Mixed Air Operations Middle (CAOC) that was established final yr at Bodø in Norway, which coordinated the bigger 19-nation Ramstein Flag train that noticed over 200 plane collaborating. For the drills inside Finland, the Ilmavoimat deployed 12 F/A-18 C/Ds Hornets whereas the overseas plane participation stood at 50.
U.S. F-35s in Finland
Earlier than the freeway touchdown drills, the Marine Corps’ F-35Bs first flew with Finnish F/A-18C/D Hornets from the bigger Rovaniemi Base, the place they have been initially based mostly. From Rovaniemi, the Marine F-35Bs additionally stopped at Karelia Air Wing’s Rissala Air Base, the place they underwent sizzling pit refueling, the Ilmavoimat stated on X.
U.S. Marines with @2nd_MAW and the Finnish Air Pressure, take to the skies throughout Train Ramstein Flag 2026 at Rovaniemi Base, Finland.
📸 By Lance Cpl. Perri Wooden @USMC @DeptofWar pic.twitter.com/lpidfUCLQc
— II MEF (@iimefmarines) June 18, 2026
The U.S. press launch quoted U.S. Air Pressure Lt. Gen. Jason T. Hinds, commander of Allied Air Command, who stated the newest iteration of Ramstein Flag – from the northernmost components of Norway to the southern reaches of Spain – showcased Allied Airpower’s 360-degree method to defend NATO.
#RamsteinFlag 🤝 #BALTOPS
Working from Rovaniemi Air Base, the U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II fighter jets took half additionally within the BALTOPS 26 train within the Baltic Sea. The jets stopped at Karelia Air Wing’s Rissala Air Base for hot-pit refueling. 🇫🇮🇺🇸#ilmavoimat pic.twitter.com/6glLiOJMcV
— Ilmavoimat (@FinnishAirForce) June 17, 2026
The discharge added: “The operation supplied NATO Allies with a singular alternative to observe agile fight employment ideas, a strategic functionality that permits NATO to challenge fight energy from dispersed and non-traditional places. Throughout battle, this idea would permit allied air forces to increase the attain of plane fare past conventional airfields and infrastructure.”
Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark acted as joint hosts for the northern a part of Ramstein Flag 26. The profitable execution of the train strengthened Nordic Air Energy as a part of NATO.
Learn extra: #RamsteinFlag pic.twitter.com/qtManBwag7
— Ilmavoimat (@FinnishAirForce) June 18, 2026
Ramstein Flag in Finland and Finnish F-35s
The Ilmavoimat stated that, in the course of the first week of the train, the Karelian Air Pressure took over the Tervo alternate touchdown web site in Northern Savo. Whereas it has been constructing F-35-centric upkeep and assist infrastructure at Rovaniemi and Rissala Air Bases underneath the Lapland and Karelia Air Wings, respectively, the service admitted that “the capability for storing materials and plane stands on the bases is restricted,” including that “this partly challenged operations, however didn’t stop the reception of allies.”
The Ilmavoimat can also be utilizing the chance to familiarize itself with F-35 operations, after the primary of its 64 airframes was delivered to the U.S.-based coaching unit at Ebbing ANGB, Arkansas, in October 2025. One purpose was to achieve interoperability between the various fighter fleet of fourth and fifth technology plane, which “will play an essential function for years to come back.”
This can significantly assist the upcoming transition section from the legacy F/A-18s to the F-35As, which the Ilmavoimat stated will function each varieties concurrently for a sure time after the primary F-35 will arrive within the nation by autumn of 2026. The Allies in the meantime familiarized themselves “with the usage of alternate touchdown websites as a part of the Finnish Air Pressure’s cellular and distributed fight technique.”
✈️ Polskie statki powietrzne lądowały na drodze w Finlandii! 🇵🇱🇫🇮
W ramach ćwiczenia NATO Ramstein Flag 2026 polskie F-16 z 31 Bazy Lotnictwa Taktycznego, jako pierwsze w historii Polski, wykonały lądowanie na drogowym odcinku lotniskowym Tervo w Finlandii. Chwilę później na… pic.twitter.com/kjzcn64wIn
— Dowództwo Generalne (@DGeneralneRSZ) June 9, 2026
Different operations and plane
The general operations from Finland, Sweden and Norway noticed smaller “shadow circuits” being flown within the morning and bigger “principal circuits” within the afternoons, all coordinated by the COAC Bodø. “The airspace out there allowed for a complete of over 100 plane to sometimes take part in the principle wave circuits,” stated the press launch.
Imavoimat Col. Mäntylä named mission units like Suppression/Destruction of Enemy Air Protection (SEAD/DEAD), airborne radar surveillance, aerial refueling and digital warfare being practiced in the principle circuits.
Prepared to reply. ⚡An F-35A Lightning II, assigned to the 493rd Fighter Squadron of RAF Lakenheath, UK, prepares to taxi on the flightline throughout Ramstein Flag 26 at Pirkkala Air Base, Finland.
This premier tactical train checks the power of NATO forces to answer… pic.twitter.com/cLqxW2AA08
— F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Workplace (@theF35JPO) June 17, 2026
U.S. Air Pressure F-35As from the 493rd Fighter Squadron (493rd FS) at RAF Lakenheath within the U.Okay, the U.Okay.’s personal F-35Bs from the HMS Prince of Wales plane service, and at the very least two of the NATO Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Pressure (NISRF) RQ-4D Phoenix HALE-class surveillance drone practiced from Pirrkala AB underneath the Satakunta Air Wing.
British F-35B Lightning II fighter jets participate in Ramstein Flag 26 from the plane service HMS Prince of Wales. The jets visited Satakunta Air Wing’s Pirkkala Air Base for hot-pit refueling. 🇫🇮🇬🇧🇺🇸#ilmavoimat #RamsteinFlag pic.twitter.com/8jck55v9RK
— Ilmavoimat (@FinnishAirForce) June 17, 2026
🇫🇮 Two NATO RQ-4D Phoenix high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) UAVs sit on the flight line at Tampere–Pirkkala Air Base, Finland, June 2026, throughout train Ramstein Flag 26.
(📸/NATO Intelligence, Surveillance and… pic.twitter.com/YqyCHwmgSz
— Man Plopsky (@GuyPlopsky) June 18, 2026
The Lapland Air Wing additionally hosted German Air Pressure (Luftwaffe) Twister strike plane and Eurofighters. The refueling fleet based mostly at Rovaniemi, Lapland AW’s principal working base, consisted of A330 Multi-Position Tanker Transport (MRTT) plane from NATO’s Multinational MRTT Unit and a U.S. Marine Corps KC-130J Tremendous Hercules.
