The Finnish Air Force announced March 6 that United States Air Force B-52s have performed their first ever drops of live bombs on a Finnish training range.
Two B-52s dropped JDAM bombs on targets on the Rovajärvi range in a March 6 joint training exercise for Finnish Army and USAF Joint Tactical Air Controllers, with Finnish Air Force F/A-18 Hornets escorting the bombers to the targets.
The first-time exercise follows Finnish Air Force support for USAF Bomber Task Force missions to Sweden and Estonia earlier this year, with the Finnish Air Force itself having trained with American strategic bombers since July 2024.
In a press release announcing the exercise, Finnish Air Force Chief of Staff Brigadier General Aki Puustinen said the exercise demonstrated the Finnish military’s capability to execute joint fire missions, with bilateral cooperation increasing both Finnish defense capabilities and NATO’s collective ability to defend and deter on its northern borders.