At the Jokioinen landing site, built on a closed section of Highway 2, Finnish F/A-18 Hornet fighters and other aircraft are practising landings and take-offs away from their home bases. The activity is part of Finland’s mobile battle concept and includes low-altitude flying.
For the first time, Italy has brought F-35B Lightning II fighters to Imminent Field. The aircraft joined Finnish aircraft on the road strip on May 19 to rehearse short landing and take-off procedures.
#CulturaDifesa 🇮🇹✈️
Perché atterrare su una strada? 🛣️
Non è una manovra spettacolare.
È una capacità operativa. 🎯Addestrarsi a operare da piste “non convenzionali” significa continuare a garantire capacità di risposta anche quando le infrastrutture principali non sono… pic.twitter.com/3c3MQAPhhq
— Ministero Difesa (@MinisteroDifesa) May 21, 2026
The Italian F-35Bs are operating from Pirkkala Air Base during the exercise. NATO said the detachment is using the aircraft’s short take-off and vertical landing design to demonstrate its ability to generate sorties from austere and decentralised locations.
The Italian detachment is training NATO’s Agile Combat Employment concept. ACE disperses aircraft, personnel and support across multiple locations to complicate targeting, reduce vulnerability and keep combat power available if main air bases are threatened.
NATO said the highway-based activity requires close civil-military coordination. The exercise also reflects wider alliance efforts to improve cohesion and readiness under pressure.
By combining Finland’s experience in dispersed operations with an Italian fifth-generation aircraft detachment, Imminent Field 26 shows how allied air forces are practising flexible operating methods. NATO said the exercise is intended to help sustain operational tempo and preserve deterrence through distributed air operations.
