Finland Plans Protective Fence 26 With Hornets and Allied Aircraft

The Finnish Air Force plans to disperse 20 F/A-18 Hornets during Protective Fence 26, a multinational exercise scheduled for November 19–27, 2026. Reported participants include Dutch F-35As, French Rafales and Swedish Gripens.

Key details

• The exercise is expected to involve more than 40 aircraft and about 4,100 personnel.
• Reported operating locations include 10 bases in Finland and Sweden, plus the Jännevirta highway strip near Kuopio.
• The main phase is scheduled for November 22–24, with flight operations planned around the clock.
• Highway 9 near Kuopio is scheduled to close to civilian traffic from November 18 to 25 for use of the highway strip.
• More than 1,800 Finnish reservists are expected to take part, including in aircraft maintenance and force-protection roles. Specialists from the Royal Air Force, US Air Force and Virginia Air National Guard are also expected.

The Finnish Air Force plans to disperse 20 F/A-18 Hornets during the exercise.

Why it matters

Using a highway strip alongside established bases gives participating air forces a range of operating locations during the exercise. The planned participation spans Finnish, Dutch, French and Swedish combat aircraft, with specialists and reservists supporting the activity.