Air Force to host Exercise Baana 22 in Joutsa

The Air Force Academy will arrange the Baana 22 exercise in Joutsa on 25 to 30 September, said Finnish Defence Forces in a press release on Thursday.

The part of highway 4 used as a landing strip will be closed to all traffic during the exercise.

Baana is a road base exercise annually conducted by the Finnish Air Force. The lead responsibility of the exercise rotates every year among the Air Force units, and in 2022, it is the Air Force Academy’s turn.

The Air Force trains regularly operations from other than a home base to be capable of a quick dispersal across the country, when necessary. Participation in operations from road bases is a part of Air Force pilot training.

Baana 22 air operations will be flown daily between 10:00 and 23:30 from Monday to Thursday, 26-29 September 2022.

The objectives of flight training are to perform take-offs and landings based on the flight training syllabus at a road base in day and night-time conditions and to enable operational pilots to conduct advanced training flights.

All Air Force aircraft types can be seen in the sky during the exercise. Most of the aircraft involved in the exercise will be F/A-18 Hornet multi-role fighters and Hawk jet trainers.

The total strength of the exercise will be around 200 persons, including 70 reservists.

The Defence Forces has the exercise area in its use for the above-mentioned days as laid down in the related administrative decision.

Consequently, there will be no access for unauthorised persons without a Defence Forces’ permission. Operating drones will be prohibited over the entire exercise area between Monday 26 September 6:00 and Thursday 29 September 23:30.