Forces from Finland, France, the United Kingdom and United States partnered in Atlantic Trident, a two-week, tactical and operational training exercise held across multiple locations in Finland June 16-27, 2025. AIRMAN 1ST CLASS SIERRA CASTEEL/U.S. AIR FORCE
Two F-35 Norwegian warplanes in July 2025 conducted training exercises in the Finnmark region of Norway, which borders Russia’s Kola Peninsula. The exercises are the latest sign that the founding NATO member is on high alert with its eastern neighbor in the increasingly disputed Barents Sea region. The Royal Norwegian Air Force confirmed the training to the Norwegian media in what has become an increasingly common example of the Nordic country’s ebbing caution in defending its sovereignty.
The Barents Observer, a Norwegian newspaper, confirmed the July 11 flights, which occurred just a few kilometers from the Russian border. “The jets made nearly 10 circles over the border town of Kirkenes and the Varanger fjord before returning west. The contrail afterwards blew east into Russian airspace over the Pechenga area in Murmansk region,” the newspaper reported. “I can confirm that there are two F-35 fighter jets currently conducting completely normal training, including over Finnmark,” Air Force spokesman Maj. Stian Roen told the newspaper.
The flights are a result of a May decision by the Norwegian government to increase deterrence in the region and demonstrate readiness to defend its airspace, including allowing NATO to train in Finnmark. Finnmark is Norway’s most northeastern country. It borders Russia’s Murmansk Oblast region, which houses a heavy concentration of Russian naval, air and land-based military assets. “The fighter jets train throughout the year over large parts of Norway, including Finnmark, and the pilots have an annual training program where they train and practice to be ready when needed,” Roen told the newspaper.
Until winter 2024, it was uncommon for Norwegian warplanes to train in the Varanger fjord region, but the Russia-Ukraine war, which has lasted nearly 3½ years, has changed the military calculus. F-35s from Evenes Air Station, which hosts a quick-reaction squadron, have flown over Varanger several times in the last year, the newspaper reported.
The Nordic region has seen increased military activity in recent years. Russia has been identified by Nordic authorities as the sponsor of several sabotage attacks, including at Evenes. Ships connected to Russia and the Chinese Communist Party have been implicated in cutting energy and communication cables in the Baltic Sea, and Russia has stepped up exercises and rearmament in its Northern Fleet and associated units in the Kola Peninsula.
In response, NATO has increased its domain presence. In June 2025, Finland hosted the Atlantic Trident fighter jet exercise. France, the United Kingdom and the United States took part. The exercise took place over Finland’s eastern border and included Rovaniemi airbase in Lapland. “Atlantic Trident 25 demonstrated and advanced our deterrence, and it demonstrated that if deterrence fails, the four nations represented here today are ready to win decisively, if required,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Jason Hinds, U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa deputy commander. “The confidence I saw in all Airmen was backed by readiness, interoperability and our ability to field lethal forces,” stated a news release from U.S. Air Forces Europe.
During Atlantic Trident, Airmen trained to rapidly repair airfield damage on realistic timelines, allowing flying operations to continue within hours instead of days. By practicing multinational hot-pit refueling and cross-nation aircraft servicing, participants supported and launched warplanes from other nations. “This level of cooperation and precision training allowed participants to strengthen teamwork among NATO Allies’ aircraft and Airmen. It also increased U.S. Airmen’s ability to adapt to unfamiliar locations and airspace in Finland, enhancing combat response capabilities and expanding the reach of the U.S. military forces,” the release stated.