Tag Archives: HävLLv 11

The Lapland Air Force

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Check out these very frosty images from the Finnish Air Force’s Lapin lennosto, or the Lapland Air Control, based at Someroharju, Rovaniemi, located just inches shy of the Arctic Circle along the 66th N. Parallel. Formed in 1974, the command hosts the F-18Cs of the 11th Fighter Squadron (HÄVLLV 11), deployed full-time 365, in all weather.

Anne Torvinen / Ilmavoimat, Lapin lennosto

Anne Torvinen / Ilmavoimat, Lapin lennosto

Anne Torvinen / Ilmavoimat, Lapin lennosto

Of note, Rovaniemi is significantly further north than Alaska’s Elmendorf Air Force Base, which is on the 61st N. Parallel, and Finnish F-18s, when fulfilling NATO air policing missions at Keflavik in Iceland, have to fly south to do so, as even that windswept paradise is on the 63rd Parallel.

They are pretty serious in Lapland. Note the six AMRAAM loadout. Anne Torvinen / Ilmavoimat, Lapin lennosto

Anne Torvinen / Ilmavoimat, Lapin lennosto

Tailhooks are retained and used, as the Finns incorporate them into an arrested short landing profile when operating on highways. Anne Torvinen / Ilmavoimat, Lapin lennosto

As noted by the Finns in the post that accompanied these photos, “Snow, ice, temperatures as low as -35°C – no problem! For us, here at the Arctic Circle, cold-weather training is… just ordinary training.”

 

Finns on point in the G-I-UK Gap

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Since the Black Knights of the 57th FIS pulled its F-15Cs out of Keflavik NAS in 1995, ending its 41-year run providing air defense over Iceland– and the only full-time fighters in the 2,000 miles between CFB Goose Bay in Newfoundland and RAF Stornoway in Scotland– Iceland has relied on a rotating NATO-supplied occasional Air Policing mission to provide for more muscular patrols of Icelandic airspace than the helicopters of the Icelandic Coast Guard can supply.

Since 2008 (there was a 13-year peace gap when Russia was seen as a tame bear), the detachments have been provided by the French, Danish (5 rotations), Norwegian (8), U.S. (14), German (2), Canadian (3), Portuguese (2), Italian (7), Czech (3), British (2), and Polish air forces.

The newest kid on the Icelandic beat is four F-18Cs of the Finnish Air Force’s Lapland Air Wing’s (Lapplands flygflottilj) No. 11 Squadron (Hävittäjälentolaivue 11), which arrived with a 50-member detachment under Lt. Col. Lasse Louhela in late January.

Photos by Anne Torvinen, Finnish Air Force:

Note the old Cold War USAF hardened shelters and the reduced-sized white and blue donut roundels on the F-18C

Toting AIM-9s and AIM-120s along with DTs. Note the tailhooks, which the Finns use for reduced-distance operations on railways

Keflavik has never been forgiving, especially in February, but as HävLLv 11’s normal base is in Lapland, they are probably used to it

The Finnish gray livery is almost light blue in color, which works great in polar regions.

They rely on the Icelandic CG EC225 Super Puma for SAR duties and have been conducting operations with Finnish aircrew.

In addition to operations out of Keflavik, the Finns plan to operate remotely from airports in Akureyri and Egilsstaðir, spreading the love.

The Finnish mission is expected to conclude at the end of February.

The Czechs will return with their JAS 39C Gripens for their 4th rotation this summer.