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Finnish F-18

What option do you think is best as a replacement for Finland's F-18s? F-35, Typhoon, Rafale, Super Hornet? Which would you choice and which best fits Finland's threat profile and defense doctrine?

Considering Finland's usage of the F-18 and its familiarity with it as a result, the Super Hornet isn't a bad option, but I'd go with the F-35, if only because of Finland's location, right on the border with a resurgent Russia. It needs something a bit more survivable to combat Russia's newest gear.

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Hi,
there is a good article about it.

Sorry,i cannot post links,i need 30 posts.
In my opinion,i wish we could choose as Denmark and Norway the F-35,given its stealth features,it would be the best. But it is way expensive and don't know if we could afford it. Maybe if the Americans give us a good price.

FINNISH HORNETS: “TO BE REPLACED BY GRIPEN OR RAFALE”

The odds are in favour of the SAAB JAS 39E/F Gripen to become the next multirole fighter of the Finnish Air Force (Ilmavoimat), with the French Dassault Rafale in very close range, according to Scandinavian sources on 6 April 2015.

Finland has slowly started with looking for a replacement for its 55 McDonnell Douglas (Boeing) F/A-18C Hornet single-seat and 7 F/A-18D two-seat multirole fighters. With the race officially starting coming Autumn, the participants are already warming up their engines.

Finnish-Swedish combat jet


With both Helsinki and Stockholm having agreed to increased cooperation between their defence organisations, a combined Finnish-Swedish combat jet fleet with the same type of aircraft would make matters even more easier in case both nations choose to act together in their defence against enemies like, let’s say, Russia. Not only from a military tactical point of view, but certainly from a logistical one. Any battle is easily lost with a failing flow of spare parts.

The Swedish Gripen – from a Finnish point of view produced just a short hop by boat or plane across the Gulf of Bothnia / Baltic Sea – is currently undergoing a very interesting update which gives us already a brief look in the new capabilities Next Generation dubbed Gripen E/F. That new Gripen will be the one that the Brazilian Air Force (36 or more) is buying and that the Swedish Air Force (60 or more) has ordered.

Finland is not that far yet, but has requested and received classified documents on the capabilities of the Gripen. This has now confirmed by sources within both the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) and within the government in Stockholm.

Rafale mission

But the race is far from done. Just before Easter, the Finnish Chief of Defence went along for a French Air Force training mission in the backseat of a Dassault Rafale B, flying in formation with at least one other Rafale after take-off from Base Aérienne 113 Saint-Dizier (St. Dizier Airbase), situated east of Paris. As happy of any of us would be, General Jarmo Lindberg tweeted about his Rafale adventure. During earlier trials in Switzerland – where the Gripen competed against the Rafale – the Swiss Air Force said to have been very impressed by the French jet’s performances, but the Swiss government choose the Gripen because it was deemed financially a better choice, with the Swiss population shooting down the governments purchase decision leaving the Swiss Air Force without a successor to the aging and slowly obsolete Northrop F-5 fighter-bombers.

“See” stealthy fighter

Sources in Helsinki say that the Eurofighter Typhoon is considered a candidate too expensive. The same goes for the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II, but its stealthy capabilities give the American jet a nice deck of cards. However, SAAB is already on that and reportedly has developed radar and software updates that will enable the aircraft and/or the new Meteor Beyond-Visual-Range air-to-air missile to be able to “see” stealthy fighter jets anyway, by detecting other signatures like the heat exhaust caused by the aircraft’s engines.

The new Meteor is also said to outclass the weaponry of the US Air Force, which has traditionally focused on aircraft rather than missile technology. That has even worried American generals a bit, since the new Russian fighter jets such as the Sukhoi Su-35 “Flanker” and the stealthy T-50 / PAK-FA have both the electronic defence capabilities and better missiles to make life of US fighter jocks complicated. It might take F-35 pilots to launch maybe all the air-to-air missiles brought along to score one “kill”. The F-35A has only two points for those in its internal weapon bays. Sure, the jet can bring along a total load of eight AIM-120 AMRAAMS and two AIM-9 Sidewinders if the rest is put on external pylons, but having weapons on the outside kills the stealthy features that might give the F-35 the upper hand.

Whatever the Finnish government decides to buy – the comfort of the Gripen, the finesse of the Rafale or the stealthiness of the F-35 – the race is on!
 
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Very interesting video,the tactics used didn't change much from the winter war. (defensive guerrilla-style strategy)

There are subtitles in English.

 
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2 European countries on the frontline with Russia are starting to merge their military operations

Two European countries near Russia, including one that borders Russia, are combining parts of their military forces.

The Swedish government announced on October 29 that it will create a joint naval battle group with the Finnish Defense Forces.

Finland borders Russia to its northeast, while Sweden has seen recent Russian military violations of its territory — most notably by a possible Russian submarine in October 2014.

The new battle group, known as the Swedish Finnish Naval Task Force (SFNTG), is envisioned as a cost-effective way for the two nations to conduct joint crisis-response operations in the Arctic and the surrounding regions.

According to Defense News, the SFNTG will be staffed by troops trained to operate within the region's climatic extremes. The task force will "conduct sea surveillance, exercises and include combined units," Defense News reports. "It would share infrastructure and be able to transfer operational control of units between the Swedish and Finnish navies."

Finewire also notes that the SFNTG will be interoperable with NATO units and the militaries of NATO countries — which is notable as both Sweden and Finland have eschewed NATO membership in order to keep their policies of neutrality intact.

Sweden is also in talks with Finland and Denmark to be able to base naval units in the countries' homeports during peacetime.

The formation of the SFNTG comes amid a series of security shifts among the five Nordic countries — Iceland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland. In early April, the five countries announced plans to expand their defense ties.

The move toward further defense cooperation shows how concerned these countries have become about the regional security environment. Iceland, Denmark, and Norway are already full NATO members. Sweden and Finland had steered away from the organization out of concerns over infuriating Russia — but polls show that people in both countries thinking about the benefits of joining the alliance.

The formation of closer Nordic defense ties, in addition to Sweden and Finland's increasing tilt toward NATO, demonstrate that Scandinavia is taking the threat of a resurgent Russia very seriously.

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"Russia's actions are the biggest challenge to the European security," the defense ministers from the Nordic nations said in a joint declaration in April. "Russia's propaganda and political maneuvering are contributing to sowing discord between nations, and inside organizations like NATO and the EU.

"There is increasing military and intelligence activity in the Baltics and in our northern areas," the statement said. "The Russian military is challenging us along our borders and there have been several border infringements in the Baltics."

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Swedish and Finnish naval assets.

Visby class corvette
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Göteborg class corvette
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Gotland class submarine
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Hamina class corvette
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Hämeenmaa class minelayer
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FINNISH HORNETS: “TO BE REPLACED BY GRIPEN OR RAFALE”

F-35's still in the running, Finnish defense officials recently (on 10/28/15) visited LM in Fort Worth, Texas.

Finnish Air Force officials visited Lockheed Martin's [LMT] F-35 facility here Wednesday, ostensibly to evaluate future fighter jet procurement options as part of its HX program.

A pair of signs welcoming Finnish Air Force Commander Major General Kim Jäämeri were spotted on video boards at the entrance to the facility. A handful of Finnish Air Force airmen were seen inside the administrative portion of the sprawling complex that assembles and puts the finishing touches on F-35 aircraft before they are deployed to base locations and partner nations.


Finnish Air Force Officials Visit F-35 Facility | Defense Daily Network

As Finland and Sweden further their integration, the Gripen makes sense, but I wouldn't count the F-35 out just yet either. Still very expensive, but neither the Gripen, Rafale or Super Hornet are cheap. All are expensive options.
 
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No doubt,Norway and Denmark have the strongest navies of the Nordic countries.

Fridtjof Nansen class

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HDMS Iver Huitfeldt (F361)

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HDMS Absalon (L16)

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What are the air-defence systems of Danish army ?

 
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What are the air-defence systems of Danish army ?

That would be the Danish Air Force:partay:. Our air-defense weapons consist of 60 F-16s, the F-35 is likely to replace them.

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Apart from Dual Mounted Stingers, which are in reserve, the Danish Army lacks a land-based air-defense weapon.
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They aren't blind though. Long-range tracking and identification is provided by RAC 3D.
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Royal Norwegian Air Force Maj. Morten Hanche, 62nd Fighter Squadron training pilot, climbs in for his first F-35 Lightning ll flight Nov. 10, 2015 at Luke Air Force Base. His flight coincides with the arrival of the first Norwegian F-35 and the Norwegian Air Force 71st anniversary

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Maj. Gen. Morten Klever, program director of the Norwegian Fighter Aircraft Program, stands in front of the first two Royal Norwegian F-35 Lightning II.

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The purpose of exercise Viking Ymer is to conduct training in offensive and defensive activities in combined arms formations.

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