The Finnish Air Force’s conscripts’ final exercise of the unit training phase in Jyväskylä and Central Finland

The final exercise of the unit training phase 1/25 (JPH 1/25) consists of a base operations exercise and Baana 25 highway strip exercise. The Finnish Air Force conducts the exercise biannually at its different bases.

One main objective of the JPH exercise is to train cooperation between the active-duty personnel, reservists and conscripts. The exercise will train the units in Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures of combat operations at the Tikkakoski and Halli air bases and also in the Central Finland region. During the Baana exercise, troops are trained to operate on a highway strip, to use the Air Force’s concept of dispersed operations, and to cooperate with Allies.

Finnish conscripts, reservists and active-duty personnel, as well as Allied forces from the Royal Netherlands Air Force will participate in the exercise. The total personnel strength of the exercise will be approximately 2,000 at the highest.

The flight operations of the Baana exercise will be carried out from 26 May through to 29 May 2025. The highway 4 will be closed during the exercise in Tikkakoski. In addition to the Finnish Air Force aircraft, the F-35A Lightning II fighter jets of the Royal Netherlands Air Force will fly in the exercise. 

During the flight operations on 26‒29 May, it is prohibited to observe the aircraft with binoculars or a telescope at a range of 20 kilometres from Jyväskylä airport. Periodically carried out air defence training may cause laser reflection from the exercise aircraft. The laser reflections may cause eye injuries in case the planes are watched with optical devices.

During the JPH exercise, more flight activity than usual may be visible in the Central Finland area. Fully equipped units may be present on-road and off-road. The Finnish Defence Forces has taken the training areas into its use with an administrative decision and thus movement in the area is prohibited without a permit by the Defence Forces. Flying drones is prohibited in all training areas during the exercise. The exercise’s flight operations are not a public event and neither are there any services for viewers in the vicinity of the Tikkakoski highway strip.
 

For more information: Exercise Director, Lieutenant Colonel Sami Nenonen, tel. 0299 800 (switchboard).