Finnish Air Force
The Finnish Air Force (Finnish: Ilmavoimat) is one of the braches of the Finnish Defence Forces.
Suomen Ilmavoimat
Motto: Qualitas Potentia Nostra
"Quality is our strength".
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| Established | 6 March, 1918
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| Personnel | 2974
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| Commander-in-Chief | Lieutenant General Jouni Pystynen
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Organisation
The Air Force is organised into three commands, each of which operates a fighter squadron:
- Air Force Headquarter at Tikkakoski
- Lapland Air Command (Fighter Squadron 11) at Rovaniemi
- Karelia Air Command (Fighter Squadron 31) at Kuopio
- Satakunta Air Command (Fighter Squadron 21) at Tampere
- Support Squadron at Tikkakoski
- C3 Systems School at Tikkakoski
- Finnish Air Force C3I Materiel Command at Tikkakoski
- Air Force Academy at Kauhava
- Aircraft and Weapon Systems School at Halli
- Flight Test Center of Air Force at Halli
- Air Materiel Command at Tampere
The three commands are part of the Defence Forces' Readiness formations.
Commanders
- Captain Carl Seber 28.04.1918 - 13.12.1918
- Lieutenant Colonel Torsten Aminoff 14.12.1918 - 09.01.1919
- Colonel Sixtus Hjelmmann 10.01.1919 - 25.10.1920
- Major Aarne Somersalo 26.10.1920 - 02.02.1926
- Colonel Väinö Vuori 02.02.1926 - 07.09.1932
- Lieutenant General Jarl Lundqvist 08.09.1932 - 29.06.1945
- Lieutenant General Frans Helminen 30.06.1945 - 30.11.1952
- Lieutenant General Reino Artola 01.12.1952 - 05.12.1958
- Major General Fjalar Seeve 06.12.1958 - 12.09.1964
- Lieutenant General Reino Turkki 13.09.1964 - 04.12.1968
- Lieutenant General Eero Salmela 07.02.1969 - 21.04.1975
- Lieutenant General Rauno Meriö 22.04.1975 - 31.01.1987
- Lieutenant General Pertti Jokinen 01.02.1987 - 31.01.1991
- Lieutenant General Heikki Nikunen 01.02.1991 - 30.04.1995
- Major General Matti Ahola 01.05.1995 - 31.08.1998
- Lieutenant General Jouni Pystynen 01.09.1998 -
Equipment
- McDD F-18 C/D Hornet (HN), fighter interceptors (63)
- BAE Hawk Mk51/51A (HW), trainers (51). The Hawks can also be fitted with AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles and ground attack munitions.
- Learjet 35A/S (LJ), used for transportation, surveillance, target towing and aerial photography. (3)
- Valmet L-70 Vinka (VN), trainers (28)
- Fokker F.27 (FF), transportation aircraft (2)
- Valmet L-90 TP Redigo (RG), liaison aircraft (9)
- Piper PA-31-350 Chieftain (PC), liaison aircraft (6)
- Piper PA-28 Arrow (PA), liaison aircraft (7)
See also
List of air forces
