The Finnish Air Force will deploy six F/A-18 Hornet multi-role fighters to the Cobra Warrior 23-1 exercise in the United Kingdom which will run from 2-24 March 2023.
Exercise Cobra Warrior is run twice a year and is the largest air exercise run by the Royal Air Force. The exercise is designed to train participants in high-intensity, large-force, tactical air warfighting operations. The exercise will see a total of 70 aircraft taking part and is being directed by staff at RAF Waddington.
“We will take part in the Cobra Warrior exercise because the Royal Air Force is an important partner for us bilaterally, in the framework of the Joint Expeditionary Force cooperation, and as a future NATO ally. From the perspective of the Finnish Air Force, developing interoperability with the United Kingdom and the other JEF nations also supports cooperation within NATO”, says Chief of Staff, Air Force Command Finland, Brigadier General Timo Herranen.
For the Finnish Air Force, the aim of the Cobra Warrior 23-1 exercise is to train together with the Royal Air Force, to enhance interoperability with future NATO allies, and to develop the integration of 4th- and 5th-generation fighters.
In total, around 70 aircraft will take part in the exercise. The Finnish F/A-18s will operate out of RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire. In addition to the F/A-18 detachment, the exercise will involve Finnish fighter controllers at the Control and Reporting Centre at RAF Boulmer.
The Finnish Air Force’s participation in Cobra Warrior 23-1 will be part of the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) cooperation. Finland joined the JEF in 2017.
