Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen: Nordic countries will build air forces capable of combined operations

Publication date 12.11.2025 17.55
Type:Press release

Finland’s Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen hosted a meeting of Nordic defence ministers in Helsinki today on 12 November 2025. According to Minister of Defence Häkkänen, the Nordic countries will build air forces that are capable operating together both in peacetime and under emergency conditions.

“We have made good progress towards this goal. Together, the Nordic countries will have more than 200 new-generation fighters by the start of the next decade. Meanwhile, there is still work to be done to make combined and integrated operations across borders possible in all situations. We will further deepen our cooperation so that we can achieve a combined capability to plan and conduct air operations across the Nordic countries. This is important for strengthening NATO’s deterrence and defence in the High North,” Minister Häkkänen said.

“As regards military mobility, we will continue our excellent and efficient cooperation to develop military mobility in the Nordic region. In the current security landscape, it is a matter of great importance to improve military mobility between the Nordic countries,” Häkkänen said.

The Nordic countries have deepened their cooperation since November last year when they signed a letter of intent on harmonised military mobility corridors in the Nordic region. “We are off to a good start and will continue our efforts as a matter of urgency,” Häkkänen said.

Regarding defence materiel cooperation, the Nordic defence ministers decided to continue to strengthen the Nordic industrial capacity in ammunition production. This is an important step towards strengthening Nordic security of supply.

For the first time, the Chiefs of Defence from all the Nordic countries attended the meeting, which will support strategic and military planning in the High North.

Inquiries: Tiina Benredjem, Senior Specialist (the meeting), Ministry of Defence, tel. +358 295 140 009, Jenina Haapanen, Specialist (the meeting), Ministry of Defence, tel. +358 295 140 070; Kristian Vakkuri, Head of Communications (communications on the meeting), tel. +358 295 140 123.