Ex. Atlantic Trident 25 - Rovaniemi, Finland

Exercise Atlantic Trident was first established in 2010 as part of a ‘Trilateral Strategic Initiative’ between the UK, US and France. Atlantic Trident ‘25 was a multinational effort designed to reinforce warfighting capabilities, amplify the warrior mindset and re-establish credible deterrence in a contested, simulated environment.

This year Exercise Atlantic Trident took place in Finland between 16^th  - 27^th June – a first for this activity, demonstrating NATO’s influence and strength in the High North and Finland’s deepening integration into NATO. The exercise aims to strengthen fourth and fifth-generation fighter interoperability and improve combat readiness across the participating countries.

Participants

RAF Typhoon FGR.4 pilots and aircraft engineers from Global Readiness Wing (GRW), RAF Lossiemouth and 140 Expeditionary Air Wing (EAW) who are currently deployed on Operation Chessman, in Malbork, Poland, all took part in this valuable training, supported by the RAF Regiment from 3 Force Protection Wing. Boeing F/A-18C Hornets from 11 Squadron of the Ilmavoimat (Finnish Air Force) were flying from their home base of Rovaniemi. Based out of Prikkala Air Base were U.S. Air Force Lockheed-Martin F35s and Boeing F-15Es from the 48^th Fighter Wing along with Armée de l'air et de l'espace Dassault Rafalé B’s and C’s from Mont-de-Marsan, Fighter Regiment 2/30, Normandie-Niémen.

Image: Armée de l'air et de l'espace

Air refuelling, AWACS and transport assets were spread across Finland with the Armée de l'air et de l'espace Airbus A330 MRTT flying in from its home base at Istres. The other refuelling aircraft, USAF 100^th Air Refuelling Wing and 101^st ARW KC-135Rs, along with the Armée de l'air et de l'espace Boeing E-3F, were based at Rovaniemi.

Draken International deployed four aircraft to Rovaneimi to provide adversary training to the participants from the four nations. This was made up of two Falcon 20 providing electronic warfare simulation and two L-159 Honey Badgers acting as enemy threats or ‘red air’.

During the Exercise the various forces trained together to protect the integrity of an area, or territory, while operating in an Agile Combat Employment (ACE) environment. ACE training allows all NATO air forces to remain flexible and fast when operating together. This enhances operational integration and combat readiness among NATO allies. These training opportunities demonstrated quick response and sustainment capabilities under the Agile Combat Employment model, which enables the rapid deployment of combat power in dynamic, high-threat environments. The exercise emphasized cooperation under realistic conditions, reinforcing common standards and procedures, and building trust among Allies. An example of this was airmen training together to rapidly repair airfield damage on realistic timelines, allowing flying operations to continue within hours instead of days.Nations executed multi-national hot-pit refueling and cross-nation aircraft servicing, practicing participants’ skills of interoperability recovering and launching aircraft from other air forces. In addition, they exercised combined-coalition logistics and command and control. These joint functions have proven to be essential for operations.

Media flight

An 0530 start on the 23^rd June, meeting USAF TSgt Jacobs at the old terminal at Rovaniemi Airport. After meeting the air and ground crew the media contingent headed out to the aircraft for an 0830 departure. The ground crew went through all the checks and completed all minor maintenance needed before a walk round with one of the pilots, Captain Gilbert. After climbing aboard the KC-135R Boom Operator Staff Sgt Young ran through all the safety procedures that the invited media would need to follow in case of emergency. After all of this had been completed we strapped into the jump seat, in the cockpit, in preparation for QUID 99 to taxi to runway 21. Clearance for departure came soon after stopping at the end of the runway and the power came on to the four CFM56 engines and the fuel ladened KC-135R gathered pace down the runway before climbing into the air and banking left to start the climb to the designated tanker track. After a short period of time QUID 99 arrived at 22,000ft, setting up in the racetrack pattern as they awaited the receivers. The refuelling track was within a 100km of the Russian border with multiple EX. Atlantic Trident participants heading towards the tanker before reengaging back into the next part of their mission.

The days receivers were to be a pair of Boeing F-15E Strike Eagles from the 48^th FW, based at RAF Lakenheath and four Boeing F/A-18C Hornets from 11 Squadron of the Ilmavoimat (Finnish Air Force). The former being forward deployed to Pirkkala air base, near Tampere, using the boom and the F/A-18s being from Rovaniemi, using the Multi-point Refuelling System pods on the starboard wing, hose and drogue. After 2 hours the KC-135R touched down on runway 21 at Rovaniemi with the supporting mission completed.

During Ex. Atlantic Trident the 100th Air Refuelling Wing was tasked to offload an estimated 275,000 lbs of fuel for over 30 individual receivers including U.S. Air Force F-35 Lightning IIs, F-15E Strike Eagles, Finnish Air Force F/A-18C Hornets, Royal Air Force Typhoons, and Armée de l'air et de l'espace Rafales. In addition to the KC-135R of the 100^th ARW, the 101st Air Refuelling Wing from the Maine National Guard, was also based at Rovaniemi and was used to refuelled USAF F-15s and F-35s. Both the 100th and 101st Air Refuelling Wings had a 100% mission success rate based of their Air Tasking Orders. The 100^th ARW sent approximately 20 airmen to Finland to support Atlantic Trident 25 all of whom helped to achieve this 100% mission success rate.

Interviews

Many of the commanding officers spoke during the media day at Pirkkala Air Base offering an insight into Ex Atlantic Trident 25

“Atlantic Trident is more than just a demonstration of airpower; it is a clear message of unity, readiness, and resolve. For the Finnish people, this exercise reaffirms NATO’s readiness and commitment to collective defence, and the principle that we are stronger together.” Wing Commander Skorge, Commanding Officer Global Readiness Wing, RAF.

“Exercises like Atlantic Trident matter because they build real trust between personnel on the ground and in the air. For us, it is about making sure we can operate seamlessly with our NATO partners, because when it counts, there won’t be time to figure it out.”Warrant Officer Brown, Deployed Operating Base Warrant Officer (DOBWO) GRW, RAF

They added: “Finland’s now fully part of that team, bringing their own experiences and expertise to NATO, and this exercise is about understanding what each partner nation can bring to the fight. We are stronger together, and collective defence starts with working side by side every day.”

“Finland is a part of NATO’s network of air bases, so we must be prepared to receive Allied reinforcements. We are at the forefront within NATO when it comes to Agile Combat Employment, but close integration with Allies is still relatively new to us.”

“This type of exercise, for us, means to train together,” said French air and space force Col. Vincent, Rafale aircraft pilot. “We know we can fight together, and we know we can exchange and distribute our capabilities.”

“Reception of Allied forces requires robust planning, coordination, and leadership. In the Atlantic Trident 25 exercise, our Allies ‒ the United States, the United Kingdom, and France ‒ will deploy significant capabilities to Finland. We will train air operations and C2 together, thereby also strengthening NATO’s collective defence and deterrence,”

Colonel Vesa Mäntylä, Exercise Director and Deputy Chief of Staff, Air Force Command Finland.

“Everything we’ve asked of the Finnish in planning this past year, they have responded with ‘that will not be a problem,’” said Michael Goodwin, the USAFE-AFAFRICA Atlantic Trident 25 lead planner.

“Atlantic Trident 25 demonstrated and advanced our deterrence, and it demonstrated that if deterrence fails, the four nations represented here today are ready to win decisively,” “The confidence I saw in all Airmen was backed by readiness, interoperability and our ability to field lethal forces.”

“This year, Finland provided us with the opportunity to train and respond in a realistic scenario in defence in the High North, so together, we advanced our air forces’ ability to integrate across the countries.”“This level of cooperation and precision training allowed participants to strengthen teamwork among NATO allies’ aircraft and airmen. It also increased U.S. Airmen’s ability to adapt to unfamiliar locations and airspace in Finland, enhancing combat response capabilities and expanding the reach of the U.S. military forces.”

“Airmen from our four nations were training together and learning together all in peacetime. Now they're developing trust across the alliance at the unit level, down to the individual.”

U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Jason Hinds, U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa deputy

commander.

Royal Air Force Air Vice Marshall Tom Burke, Air Officer Commanding 11 Group, French air and space force Maj. Gen. Guillaume Thomas, Air Defense and Air Operations chief of staff, U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Jason Hinds, U.S. Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa deputy commander, and Finnish air force Maj. Gen. Timo Herranen, Finnish air force commander. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Ashley Talley

Thank you to the USAFE and the 100^th Air Refuelling Wing Public Affairs Office, especially TSgt Jacobs and the crew of QUID 99 for the opportunity to see the AAR in action.