Atlantic Trident 25 exercise took place in Finland from June 16 to 27, bringing together air forces from the United States, United Kingdom, France, and Finland. This two-week training event focused on improving coordination between fourth- and fifth-generation fighter jets while boosting readiness for high-threat scenarios.
The exercise took place across multiple Finnish locations, including Pirkkala, Rovaniemi, Halli, Kuopio, and Jyväskylä. These bases provided diverse terrain for testing various operational capabilities.
Lt. Gen. Jason Hinds, deputy commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Africa, highlighted the importance of the exercise. He said the nations involved were “ready to win decisively” if deterrence fails. “The confidence I saw in all Airmen was backed by readiness, interoperability and our ability to field lethal forces,” he added.
The Atlantic Trident 25 exercise followed the Agile Combat Employment model. This approach involved rapid airfield repairs, servicing aircraft across national lines, and multinational hot-pit refuelling operations. These activities were designed to mimic how forces would quickly recover and maintain flight operations in actual combat conditions.
Participating air assets included a mix of fighter and support aircraft. The United States deployed F-35A Lightning II, F-15E Strike Eagle, and KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft. The United Kingdom sent Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoons. France contributed Rafale fighters, E-3F Sentry early warning aircraft, A330 MRTT tankers, and A400M Atlas transports. Finland flew its F/A-18 Hornet jets.
French Rafale pilot Colonel Vincent described the exercise focus as practical integration. “We know we can fight together, and we know we can exchange and distribute our capabilities,” he said.
The exercise also included logistics, command, and control tasks shared across participating nations. Personnel practiced adapting to unfamiliar environments and collaborating in real time. U.S. officials noted this improved their ability to operate effectively in the High North and respond quickly to changing situations.
This was Finland’s first time participating in Atlantic Trident. The Finnish Air Force also played a role in co-leading the exercise planning. Michael Goodwin, lead planner from U.S. Air Forces in Europe, praised Finnish cooperation as consistent and efficient throughout preparations.
Lt. Gen. Hinds emphasized the strong trust built among allied forces during the exercise. “Trust developed at the unit level, down to the individual,” he said. The drills focused on “readiness to win the high-end fight” and showed a clear commitment to collective security.
