VaANG team observes Finnish agile combat tactics
A contingent of Virginia Air National Guard personnel recently spent time observing Protective Fence 2025, a major exercise conducted by the Finnish Air Force to test its air component readiness Sept. 22 – 26, 2025, in Finland.
Ten Airmen traveled to Finland with the goal of identifying and sharing best practices across the key functional areas of flying operations, maintenance, force protection and intelligence. The exercise provided an opportunity to directly examine Finnish tactics related to agile combat employment, or ACE.
Virginia and Finland are formally paired under the State Partnership Program, a relationship formally established in 2024 designed to foster mutual understanding and improve interoperability. The VaANG’s flying operations representatives observed multiple iterations of dispersed operations, agile mission planning and the dynamic targeting process as executed by the Finnish Air Force. They were able to tour mobile mission planning vehicles and gained insights into the technological integration that enabled pilots to receive updated mission orders quickly.
Virginia National Guard Airmen pose for a photo as they observe Protective Fence 2025, an agile combat readiness exercise conducted by the Finnish Air Force Sept. 22-26, 2025, in Finland.