The Finnish Air Force‘s main military exercises take off today, with Ruska 20 lasting through until 6th October.
It’s the largest war games of the year for the Air Force, with more than 60 aircraft and 4,800 personnel taking part in the operations - and includes cooperation with the Swedish Air Force as well.
“The emphasis of Ruska 20 is on maintaining and enhancing readiness, providing training for reservists, and cooperation with the Swedish Air Force” explains Colonel Juha-Pekka Keränen.
“Being an extensive air operations exercise, Ruska 20 is this year’s most significant opportunity to provide training for Air Force active-duty personnel, conscripts, and reservists in their emergency conditions’ tasks” he adds.
This year the emphasis is training reservists in the Lapland Air Command and the Air Force Academy - last year’s equivalent exercise focused on the Karelia and Satakunta Air Commands.
“The participating units will be assigned to either perform air defence tasks or act as adversary. The scenario, depicting a rapidly developing crisis, evolves in real time throughout the entire exercise, meaning that air operations can be carried out around the clock” says Colonel Keränen.
The defensive home side will be using Rovaniemi and Tikkakoski air bases, while the aggressors will be operating out of Oulu and Luleå in Sweden.
Swedish Gripen multi-role fighters and an Argus airbourne early warning and control plane will be taking part in Ruska 20, playing the role of both defenders and attackers alongside Finnish Hornets and Hawks.
