The F-35 Fighter Is Landing On Highways Right in Russia's 'Backyard'

[william]

In a historic exercise, U.S. Air Force F-35 Lightning II fighters landed on a highway in Finland during the BAANA 2024 exercise, showcasing their ability to operate from austere locations.

-The exercise, a joint operation with NATO member Finland, highlighted the advancements in agile combat employment and interoperability between U.S. and Finnish forces.

-The Finnish Air Force holds annual road-base exercises to train pilots and maintainers for remote operations, with U.S. F-35s joining for the first time.

The U.S. Increasing Austere Landings​

In August 2023, a United States Marine Corps F-35B successfully landed on a remote highway in Southern California, was refueled and rearmed, and then took off again. It was part of training for potential future operations in the Pacific. These recent exercises have further highlighted the capabilities of the Lightning II and its ability to truly operate anywhere in the world in almost any conditions.

It was also last month, in a historic first that the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) successfully landed an AC-130J Ghostrider Gunship on a highway in Arkansas during the Emerald Warrior Field Training Exercise II.

The U.S. military doesn't need runways where their aircraft are going – they just need roads!

MSN

 

[Gargolu]

ya your next que is the us government putting every bomber on the ready! that means this site will go to a defcon 2.

 

[william]

German Eurofighter Typhoons Just Landed on Russia's Doorstep​

German Eurofighter Typhoons conducted their first highway landing operation in Finland as part of the BAANA 2024 exercise, following a similar U.S. Air Force F-35 operation.

A German-language news outlet reported that given the distance from Russia, it was likely that the Kremlin's radar stations closely monitored the exercise involving the NATO militaries.

As reported by Bulgarian Military, the ability to operate from an austere landing strip would put the "European fighters in the same league as the F-35, Gripen, and F/A-18, which have previously proven such abilities," and added, "by enabling Eurofighters to land on regular roads, the German Air Force can scatter its aircraft across multiple locations, making them more challenging to detect and destroy."

Finland and neighboring Sweden, which officially joined NATO earlier this year, have long trained in roadway landings for just such reasons. Even if their airfields are destroyed, the fighter aircraft can operate from remote locations across the respective countries. In addition, it can reduce the travel time and distance from bases – allowing the fighters to strike targets deeper in an adversaries' territory (in this case Russia).

German Eurofighter Typhoons Just Landed on Russia's Doorstep

German Eurofighter Typhoons conducted their first highway landing operation in Finland as part of the BAANA 2024 exercise, following a similar U.S. Air Force F-35 operation.

nationalinterest.org

 

[Torch]

Not just awesome but super Awesome. Is almost like the Harrier2 got radar, a larger wing/engine and then RAM’ed. Hard.

 

[OReid]

A weapons system is only as good as its functionality and adaptability. Being able and actually having support units to facilitate the weapon platform capabilities exponentially increase its lethality.

This is a genius that can be credited to U A Grant and his use of the union army in the civil war.
He introduced the concept of grabbing the enemy by the throat and never letting go until the surrendered.
It’s a war not a campaign.

Having NATO Strike Fighters being able to land - refit and launch from multiple unpredictable locations being just minute's away from St Petersburg or Murmansk has to be a real frustration to Moscow.

And frankly at this point I don’t care. NATO and Russian are in a contest to the end, blame who ever you want it matters not. It’s time to grab them by the throat and end this.