2024
Finland to join NATO’s 2025 peacetime missions in Iceland and the Baltic Sea among other places
In October, the Government will submit a report to Parliament on Finland’s participation in NATO’s collective peacetime missions.
“In 2025, the Finnish Navy will deploy two vessels and the Finnish Air Force a detachment of up to five fighter aircraft to NATO’s collective peacetime missions. The Navy will participate in tasks of the Standing NATO Maritime Group One and the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group One in the Baltic Sea, the North Sea and the North Atlantic. The Air Force will join in NATO’s Air Policing missions in Iceland, the North-East Atlantic and the Arctic Ocean,” says Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen.
In October, the Government will submit a report to Parliament on Finland’s participation in NATO’s collective peacetime missions.
NATO’s collective peacetime missions are an important element of NATO’s essential purpose where all Allies are prepared to support each other through contributing to deterrence and defence throughout the territory of the Alliance. Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the ensuing changes to the security situation in Europe have highlighted the importance of NATO’s peacetime missions.
“Our active participation in NATO’s collective peacetime missions signals the unity of the Alliance and shows our readiness and defence capability. It is one way Finland supports NATO’s efforts to strengthen our security environment,” Minister Häkkänen says.
“This is also an important element of Finland’s profile as a NATO Ally. It is a concrete demonstration of our commitment and responsibility to NATO’s deterrence and defence throughout the territory of the Alliance, based on a 360-degree approach,” says Minister Häkkänen.
At this stage, Finland will not be deploying any ground troops to NATO’s Forward Land Forces. The decision is based on Finland’s geographical position at the eastern flank of NATO, among other matters. Finland is also in the process of preparing for the Multi Corps Land Component Command to be established in Finland and for the presence of Forward Land Forces in Finland.
Maritime missions
NATO’s Standing Naval Forces (SNF) has four groups: two Standing NATO Maritime Groups and two Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Groups, which can be deployed quickly in response to different kinds of crises.
The Finnish Navy would deploy one Hamina class vessel and a crew of 40 to the Standing NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG1) in the Baltic Sea, the North Sea and the North Atlantic for up to one month. One of the main tasks of the SNMG1 is to demonstrate a readiness to support the implementation of NATO’s deterrence and defence. It also performs maritime surveillance.
In addition, the Finnish Navy would deploy one Katanpää class vessel and a crew of 40 to the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group One (SNMCMG1) in the Baltic Sea, the North Sea and the North Atlantic for up to three months. The SNMCMG1 performs mine countermeasures, disposes wartime sea mines, takes part in exercises, develops mine countermeasures tactics and doctrines and performs maritime surveillance.
In addition, up to four persons per group could perform staff tasks on each group’s flagship in the maritime area of responsibility of NATO in 2025.
The Finnish Navy personnel joining these tasks would consist of the permanent personnel of the vessel and of contractual military personnel recruited for the purpose from among the reservists.
“With our continued participation in the Standing Naval Forces we demonstrate our long-standing support for the Alliance’s common efforts to strengthen the security environment in our neighbouring areas,” Minister of Defence Häkkänen says.
Air defence tasks
NATO’s air defence tasks are carried out through Air Policing and Air Shielding missions. Air Policing missions are part of the peacetime mission of NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence (NATO IAMD), which performs air surveillance and responds to any airspace violations. The Air Policing missions the Finnish Air Force performs in Finland to survey and protect the integrity of Finland’s airspace have a similar mode of operation to NATO’s Air Policing missions.
The Finnish Air Force would deploy a fighter detachment to NATO’s Air Policing mission in Iceland, Northeast Atlantic and the Arctic Ocean for three weeks in February–March 2025. The Finnish detachment would have up to five fighter aircraft and 50 members. The Air Policing mission in Iceland surveys the regional situation picture and performs interception, surveillance and protection missions according to NATO’s criteria.
The detachment members would include active-duty personnel and possibly some contractual soldiers recruited for the purpose from among the reservists. “Our participation in NATO’s Air Policing mission in Iceland, the Northeast Atlantic and the Arctic Ocean widens Finland’s profile in NATO and strengthens NATO’s capabilities in the High North. Attention to the strategic importance of the region within the Alliance is in line with Finland’s objectives. The mission is a concrete example of Nordic cooperation,” Häkkänen says.
Inquiries: Janne Kuusela, Director General, Ministry of Defence, tel. +358 295 140 300. Requests for interviews with Minister Häkkänen: Dani Niskanen, Special Adviser, tel. +358 41 544 4967.