Commander of the Finnish Army Inspected Exercise Northern Strike 125

Commander of the Finnish Army, Lieutenant General Pasi Välimäki, conducted an inspection of Exercise Northern Strike 125 on 22 May 2025. Alongside his inspection of Finnish units, the Commander also met with Allied troops from the United Kingdom and Sweden.

– Field-level confirmation is critical to evaluating how effectively we synchronize our operations, particularly joint fires, with our Allied forces. Based on this inspection, I am confident that we are capable of integrating our capabilities and coordinating airspace in accordance with mission requirements. For example, today we conducted a joint operation featuring precision JDAM strikes by Finnish F/A-18s, missile engagements from UK AH-64E Apaches, and coordinated mortar and artillery fire, stated Lieutenant General Pasi Välimäki.

Continuing until 31 May 2025, Live-Fire Exercise Northern Strike 125 and Field Training Exercise Northern Star 25 are led by the Kainuu Brigade at Rovajärvi. Approximately 6,500 troops are taking part, including 900 from Sweden and 350 from the UK.

– It is particularly important to train together with our Allies the use of different fire support, command, and intelligence systems. Throughout the exercise, we assess how well our forces and systems are integrated, and identify lessons for improvement on all fronts. I witnessed the impact of strong teamwork in the exercise, both in the accuracy of the strikes on the target area and in the troops’ unmistakable 'we got this' attitude and genuine smiles, Lieutenant General Välimäki added.

Exercise Northern Strike 125 focuses on training the command of multinational forces and the integration of joint fires. The exercise also enhances Finland’s host nation support capabilities in RSOM operations, including CET/FIT, which are a critical requirement for successful cooperation between forces in both peacetime and crisis conditions.