Joint Nordic Air Command is Crucial for NATO and Bad News for Russia

We support our Publishers and Content Creators. You can view this story on their website by CLICKING HERE.

Key Points and Summary: The Joint Nordic Air Command (JNAC) unites Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark into a cohesive air force to bolster Northern Europe’s defense against renewed Russian threats. Comprising over 250 aircraft, JNAC emphasizes flexible basing, intelligence sharing, and joint command structures.

-Finland leads with its robust military, including F/A-18s transitioning to F-35As, while Norway contributes F-35s and advanced radar systems. Denmark modernizes with F-35As, and Sweden enhances its locally produced JAS Gripen fleet. Successful exercises like Nordic Response 2024 highlight its operational readiness.

-JNAC showcases Nordic unity and sets a benchmark for regional security cooperation within NATO and the Arctic.

Progression of the Joint Nordic Air Command

On March 16th, 2023, the Air Force commanders of Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark signed a declaration to deepen cooperation amongst their aerial forces, creating the Joint Nordic Air Command (JNAC).

Implementing future Joint Nordic Air Command will enhance defensive measures for Helsinki, Stockholm, Oslo, and Copenhagen and throughout Northern Europe in lieu of renewed imperial threats from Russia.

Progression is ongoing as NATO members in Europe create mini-blocs within the organization to deepen regional responsibility further and form solid defensive lines.

The Joint Nordic Air Operations

In the early 90s, members of the region considered the concept of a mutual Nordic Air Force. Despite Finland and Sweden being neutral countries at the time, both Helsinki and Stockholm maintained strong relations with NATO members and created capable defense industries.

Today, with Finland and Sweden in NATO, integration will become easier, and intelligence sharing within the collective defense alliance with Norway and Denmark will be frequently available and increased.

The purpose of the Nordic command structure is to provide flexible air basing across various countries, enhance aerial exercises for officers, and integrate a stronger command and control structure. Over 250 aircraft from all four countries will participate in the cooperative command structure.

Finland’s Air Force in the Command

Finland’s Air Force currently utilizes F/A-18C Hornets and will keep those airframes active until the United States completely transfers the 64 F-35As. Helsinki’s significant purchase order of the F-35A is due to Moscow’s immediate threat, as Finland shares the most extensive border with Russia amongst NATO members.

Out of the four Nordic countries, Finland is currently the most prepared for a possible conflict. It has the largest reserve army with compulsory conscription on the continent, one of Europe’s largest artillery arsenals, and upgraded air defense; the Finnish Air Force is arguably the bread and butter of the Nordic Air Command.

Norway’s Air Force in the Command

The Royal Norwegian Air Force currently has 34 F-35s in combat service. The Air Force uses six additional F-35s for training new pilots and teaching maintenance and logistics to crewmen and enlisted personnel.

Norway created its own Joint Air Operations Center, based in Sørreisa, to further support all aerial domains to ensure mission success. Integrating modern systems such as the P-8 Poseidon surveillance aircraft and several F-35 Lightning II, Oslo modernized its Air Force fully to respond to any crisis.

Oslo reassessed its military capabilities against the backdrop of Russian aggression, stating Putin may not just stop with Ukraine. Norway, with its TPY-4 radar, is known for being “NATO’s eyes in the North.”

Denmark’s Air Force in the Command

The Royal Danish Air Force currently uses 30 F-16AMs – the Air Force is phasing out – and eight F-35As, with an additional 13 waiting on order. Despite a population of only 5.9 million, Denmark has become a prominent NATO member per capita.

Per capita, Denmark is among the top NATO members who have allocated a sizable percentage of their GDP in military equipment to Ukraine. The Danish government has sounded the alarm on European defense stagnation.

Denmark gained combat experience from Operation Prosperity Guardian against the Houthis in the Red Sea and became a major Joint Nordic Air Command player.

Sweden’s Air Force in the Command

NATO’s latest member, Sweden, packs a powerful punch with a deviation from American-made fighter craft. Stockholm locally manufactures the Gripen C and D variants, with the JAS 39E now being the primary fighter jet in the Swedish Air Force.

Whereas Finland, Norway, and Denmark are fully converting to the F-35, Sweden remains the outlier. It prefers to invest in and enhance the capabilities of the JAS Gripen with the expansion to the Flygsystem 2000 in the next ten years.

Despite the different aircraft variations, the Gripen works just as proficiently as any American aircraft, and like Lockheed Martin, Saab has grown its customer base. With technological advancements, Stockholm can act as the ‘Steve Jobs’ of the joint command.

Overall Assessment

Finland, Norway, Denmark, and Sweden had their first significant test of the joint air command under Exercise Nordic Response 2024 (NR24). The exercise, which took place in Northern Norway, emphasized air supremacy with joint command and control supplemented by naval forces.

Nordic Response was a success, and the Joint Air Command plans to expand its area of operations to the Arctic region, where China and Russia are trying to exert their influence.

To further emphasize the need for the four-country aerial pact and its growing capabilities, Georgetown Security Studies Review, the university analyzed and stated: “The realization of this endeavor would herald a paradigm shift. … Instead of acting independently within their own air spaces, they will act as one cohesive military force responsible for the security of an area the size of Brazil.”

The joint air command between Finland, Norway, Denmark, and Sweden, which displays Nordic interoperability, is much needed in NATO and Northern Europe. In an ever-changing world with brewing conflicts, the Nordics show the world that if you want peace, it is better to prepare for war while maintaining diplomatic composure.

About the Author: Julian McBride 

Julian McBride, a 19FortyFive Conributing Editor, is a forensic anthropologist and independent journalist born in New York. He is the founder and director of the Reflections of War Initiative (ROW), an anthropological NGO which aims to tell the stories of the victims of war through art therapy. As a former Marine, he uses this technique not only to help heal PTSD but also to share people’s stories through art, which conveys “the message of the brutality of war better than most news organizations.”