Pair of F-35 stealth fighters make "historic" landing

Two US Air Force F-35A Lightning II fighter jets landed on a highway in Finland on September 4, marking the first time the fifth-generation stealth fighter jets of the "land of the stars and stripes" operated on a road rather than a runway in a European country.

The demonstration by the pair of aircraft – assigned to the US 48th Fighter Squadron (48 FW) based at Royal Air Force (RAF) Lakenheath, UK – demonstrated advances in the ability to flexibly project air power from non-traditional locations amid growing threats to US bases around the globe.

The US fighter jets' limited landing was part of the Finnish Air Force's annual exercise, called BAANA 2024, in which advanced fighter jets use the Norvatie Highway in Rovaniemi and the Hosio Highway in Ranua as runways. The exercise began on August 31 and runs until September 6.

A US Air Force F-35A Lightning II fighter jet lands on a highway in Finland, September 4, 2024. Photo: USAFE

A US Air Force F-35A Lightning II fighter jet is parked on a highway in Finland, September 4, 2024. Photo: USAFE

“The first successful landing of our fifth-generation F-35 fighter on a highway in Europe is a testament to the growing relationship and close interoperability we have with our Finnish allies,” said Gen. James B. Hecker, commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Africa (USAFE), in a press release.

“The opportunity to learn from our Finnish partners improves our ability to rapidly deploy and employ air power from non-traditional locations and reflects the collective readiness and agility of our forces,” the US general said.

BAANA 24 is an annual land exercise hosted by the Nordic country, and the Finnish Air Force regularly trains outside its main operating bases so it can quickly disperse aircraft across the country if needed. According to a press release from the Finnish military, these exercises prepare its forces to be able to fight from anywhere.

Mobilizing forces from dispersed locations was common during the Cold War and has long since fallen out of favor. But Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine, which began in February 2022, has once again highlighted the importance of this land-based tactic, as air bases and key military centers are often high-value targets for both sides in the conflict.

Russia has used ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and glide bombs to try to overwhelm Ukraine’s air defenses. Meanwhile, Ukraine has responded by developing new ways to attack Russian air bases much farther from the front line with homemade armed drones, as Western countries will not allow the long-range missiles they provide to attack targets on Russian territory.

The F-35 Lightning II is a stealth, supersonic multirole fighter aircraft developed by the American aerospace company Lockheed Martin.

This fighter has 3 variants, including F-35A conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL); F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) and F-35C used on aircraft carriers (CV).

Minh Duc (According to Air & Space Forces, Fox News)

Source: https://www.nguoiduatin.vn/cap-tiem-kich-tang-hinh-f-35-thuc-hien-cuoc-ha-canh-lich-su-204240905104845364.htm