U.S. F-35A Jets Land On A Highway Strip In Finland For The First Time | Aviation

U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II fighter jets take part in Finnish Baana24 exercise underway in Finland.

On Sept. 4, 2024, two F-35A jets belonging to the 495th Fighter Squadron of the 48th Fighter Wing operated out of a road strip in Finland for the first time. The two Lightning II aircraft took part in Banaa, the yearly dispersed operations drills of the Finnish Air Force.

Stronger together! 🇫🇮🇺🇸

The United States Air Force’s F-35A Lightning II fighter jets landed a moment ago for the first time at a Finnish highway strip in Hosio, Ranua in the #Baana24 exercise.#ilmavoimat #ImminentField24 @Laplsto @HQUSAFEAFAF@NATO_AIRCOM pic.twitter.com/Gv3YROw2tV

— Ilmavoimat (@FinnishAirForce) September 4, 2024

The landing on Hosio Highway Strip, Ranua, Finland, marked the first time in history a U.S. fighter aircraft operated on a Finnish highway strip. During the exercise U.S. Air Force Airmen expanded on Agile Combat Employment capabilities by learning austere environment aircraft landing and take-off operations and techniques from their Finnish counterparts.

On the very same day, German Eurofighter aircraft also took part in Banaa24, landing for the first time on the Hosio highway strip in Ranua, Laplan.

Willkommen in Finnland!…