The four countries will have a combined force of around 250 modern fighter jets, comparable to major European nations such as France and Britain
A historic agreement to create unified air force the air force commanders of Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark signed on Friday over the Russian threat.
The chiefs of air forces in the four major Nordic countries Finland’s Juha-Pekka Keränen, Sweden’s Jonas Wikman, Norway’s Rolf Folland and Denmark’s Jan Dam signed an agreement under which their fighter jets will act as a joint Nordic air force.
According to statements by the armed forces of the four countries, they are planning joint operations based on already known ways of cooperation under NATO.
The move to unify the air force was prompted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year, Danish air force commander Lt. Gen. Jan Dam told Reuters.
The agreement includes joint training, with a joint support mechanism, logistics and planning.
The four countries will have a combined force of approx 250 modern fighter jets, comparable to large European states such as France and Britain. The Nordic countries have a total of 143 fifth-generation aircraft. In addition, the Swedes will gradually acquire 60 new Gripen E aircraft, and retain 60 modernized versions of the Gripen C/D fighter.
Indicative:
- Norway has 57 F-16 fighters and 37 F-35 fighters
- Finland has 62 F/A-18 Hornet fighters and 64 F-35 fighters
- Denmark has 58 F-16 fighters and 27 F-35 fighters
- Sweden has over 90 Gripen fighters
“An air force of this caliber will have a strong deterrent against Russia throughout the Nordic region,” analysts commented.
“This will be a huge force that will act as a deterrent to any aggressor and will provide security for the Scandinavian population. We clearly see that Russia has the will and the ability to use military force against its neighboring states. As close neighbors with Russia, it is therefore important to build a combined capability that is actually an attacker that Russia must take into account in its calculations,” Lt. Gen. Rolf Folland commented to Aftenposten newspaper.
Preparation is to begin as soon as possible, and be completed in the winter of 2024 in connection with Nordic Response 2024, a Nordic model of NATO’s recurring Cold Response exercises. Nordic leaders discussed closer cooperation for the first time at a November meeting in Sweden.
Source :Skai
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