NATO is preparing for a possible attack by Russia in the future. German Eurofighter fighter jets are now training in Finland for an emergency.
Ranua/Berlin – With Finland joining NATO, the external border of the defense alliance with Russia has suddenly been extended by over 1300 kilometers. Vladimir Putin’s aggression in the Ukraine war had probably led to Finland having to worry about its own security and seeking NATO’s protection after decades of neutrality. This week, German and Finnish fighter jets therefore trained for an emergency on NATO’s eastern flank – an attack by Russia.
Training for possible Putin attack: German Eurofighter jets practice road landing in Finland
Three German army Eurofighter fighter jets and 30 soldiers were relocated to the Finnish city of Ranua in the north of the country for a few days for the exercise. This was confirmed by a spokesman for the Air Force. As part of the “Baana24” exercise, the German Eurofighters are training to land on so-called emergency landing strips. These are certain roads or highways on which fighter jets can land in an emergency if no suitable airfields are accessible.
For the Air Force, it was the first exercise of this kind in several decades. The last time road landings were practiced was in the 1980s, the Air Force explained. According to earlier reports, there were around 40 such emergency landing strips on sections of the motorway in West Germany. However, according to the Air Force, these will not be reactivated because there are a large number of airports in Germany. However, the situation is different in the north of the NATO area. Ranua is just 160 kilometers from the border with Russia.
Air Force trains use of Eurofighter fighter jets on emergency landing strips during NATO exercise
In an emergency, enemy troops attacking NATO could first attack military infrastructure such as airfields. If this causes damage, these can quickly become unusable for use. For example, runways that are already damaged can make the use of modern fighter jets impossible. For this reason, Ukraine has openly discussed the possibility of temporarily storing the F-16 fighter jets supplied by the West at NATO airfields outside Ukraine. Emergency landing strips allow fighter jet pilots to land safely and unscathed in an emergency, even if there are no intact airfields nearby.
Eurofighter fighter jets of the Bundeswehr: The “backbone of the German fighter aircraft fleet”
According to the German Army, the Eurofighter fighter jets deployed in Finland form the “backbone of the German fighter aircraft fleet” and can take on air defense and air attack roles during operations. The Air Force now has 138 of these fighter jets. The Eurofighter has a wingspan of almost 11 meters and reaches a top speed of Mach 2.35. According to the German Army’s data sheet, the “all-weather multi-purpose fighter aircraft” requires a landing distance of less than 600 meters and can therefore also land on motorways.
| Crew: | 1 |
| Length: | 15.96m |
| Span: | 10.95m |
| Maximum speed: | Make 2.35 |
| Empty weight: | 11 tons |
| Operating radius: | 1,389 km (with additional tanks) |
From 2027, the Air Force will also receive F-35 fighter jets from US manufacturer Lockheed Martin, which will complement the Eurofighter fleet. The F-35 fighter jets will then replace the Air Force’s aging Tornado fleet. Unlike the Tornado or Eurofighter, the F-35 jets have stealth features and internal weapon bays. This means that the aircraft “can hardly be
detected by enemy radars or can only be detected very late”.
Nato prepares for Ukraine war: “European Sky Shield” against Putin’s missiles
Since the escalation of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, NATO has been working harder to expand its military infrastructure and increase its operational readiness. To protect against enemy missiles that could be fired at NATO targets from Russia, among other places, the defense alliance is planning to set up the “European Sky Shield” missile protection shield. As part of the project, the Bundeswehr put its first Iris-T SLM air defense system into operation on Wednesday. The German government had already delivered four of these systems from the German defense company Diehl Defense to Ukraine to protect major cities there from Russian missile attacks. (fd with material from dpa)
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