The F-22s are assigned to the 192nd Fighter Wing at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia. They are conducting integrated flight operations with Finnish F-35s currently training at Ebbing.
The exercise is focused on sharpening air dominance tactics. It is also intended to strengthen combined readiness between U.S. and allied forces.
The two-day training period highlights Ebbing’s expanding role as a training hub for allied fifth-generation fighters. The U.S. Air National Guard described the event as brief but intense.
“The Razorback Range gives us unmatched flexibility for multi-aircraft training,” said Col. Jonathan Esparza, commander of the 188th Wing. “Its capabilities allow us to host complex, realistic scenarios that build interoperability and readiness for our U.S. and international partners.”
The Razorback Range is owned and maintained solely by the 188th Wing at Fort Chaffee Joint Maneuver Training Center. It has become the de facto Joint Terminal Attack Controller training hub for the Air National Guard.
The range offers surface-to-30,000 feet airspace and thousands of target arrays for day and night training. The Air National Guard said this makes it one of its best assets for building real-world readiness.
In 2025, the range supported 424 aircraft sorties. It also supported 644 inert munitions drops.
Arkansas National Guard senior leaders also emphasized the strategic value of hosting advanced international exercises. They said the training demonstrates the role of Ebbing Air National Guard Base in supporting fifth-generation fighter readiness.
“Hosting these advanced training opportunities with our international partners showcases Arkansas’s commitment to global security and the exceptional capabilities of Ebbing Air National Guard Base,” said Brig. Gen. Olen (Chad) Bridges, the Adjutant General of the Arkansas National Guard. “Events like this not only enhance interoperability but also solidify our state’s contribution as a key player in fifth-generation fighter readiness.”
The exercise also supports the Virginia-Finland State Partnership Program, which was established in 2024. Through the National Guard Bureau’s State Partnership Program, the two states conduct military-to-military exchanges aimed at improving interoperability.
The cooperation is especially focused on Finland’s integration of the F-35 into NATO operations. The Air National Guard said the Virginia Air National Guard’s participation supports that effort through operational experience with advanced fighter aircraft.
“The Virginia Air National Guard’s experienced pilots and maintainers are a vital asset to this nation’s air dominance around the globe,” said Maj. Gen. James W. Ring, the Adjutant General of Virginia. “Sharing their expertise with our Finnish partners through the State Partnership Program strengthens our shared capabilities, interoperability, readiness and lethality.”
Finnish F-35 operations at Ebbing are part of the U.S. Foreign Military Sales training pipeline. After academic and simulator phases elsewhere, Finnish pilots conduct live-flight training at the base.
The training takes place alongside aircraft from partner nations including Poland, Germany, Switzerland and Singapore. The arrival of Virginia’s F-22s gives Finnish and U.S. personnel an opportunity to practice fifth-generation integration in realistic coalition scenarios.
Col. Tuukka Elonheimo, Chief of the Foreign Liaison Office of the Finnish F-35 program, said the training is valuable. He said the work in the United States helps Finnish and American personnel learn from each other.
“In the U.S., the Finnish Air Force personnel not only learn to operate the F-35, but they and the Americans also learn more from and about each other day by day,” said Elonheimo. “We are truly honored by how warmly the Ebbing ANGB, the local community, and now Virginia ANG – with its F-22 salute – have welcomed and are supporting our presence in the U.S.”
