In a significant demonstration of NATO interoperability and fifth-generation air combat cooperation, Finnish Air Force F-35A Lightning II fighter jets recently conducted a rare joint training exercise with U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors from the Virginia Air National Guard at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Arkansas.
The exercise, which took place over two intensive days beginning June 16, brought together two of the world’s most advanced stealth fighter aircraft in a training environment designed to strengthen allied readiness and enhance operational integration. According to a statement released by the Virginia Air National Guard, two F-22 Raptors from the 192nd Fighter Wing’s 149th Fighter Squadron arrived at Ebbing Air National Guard Base to participate in combined operations alongside Finnish F-35A aircraft.
Although brief, the training event carried considerable strategic significance. It highlighted Ebbing Air National Guard Base’s growing role as a major training center for allied fifth-generation fighter pilots and reinforced defense cooperation under the Virginia-Finland State Partnership Program, which was established in 2024.
“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 the Virginia National Guard. “Sharing their expertise with our Finnish partners through the State Partnership Program strengthens our shared capabilities, interoperability, readiness and lethality.”
The training exercise comes at a crucial time for Finland’s military modernization efforts. Helsinki has embarked on one of the most ambitious fighter acquisition programs in Europe, ordering 64 F-35A Lightning II aircraft through its HX Fighter Program. The new fleet is intended to replace the Finnish Air Force’s aging fleet of F/A-18 Hornets, which have served as the backbone of the country’s air defense for decades.
Finland formally received its first F-35A in December 2025. Following delivery and initial flight testing, the aircraft arrived at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in January 2026 to support pilot training and transition activities.
The latest exercise provided Finnish pilots and maintenance crews with a unique opportunity to operate alongside one of the most capable air-superiority fighters ever built. For a nation still in the early stages of integrating the F-35 into its force structure, exposure to advanced U.S. fifth-generation tactics and operational concepts offers valuable experience that could accelerate readiness.
As NATO’s newest frontline member bordering Russia, Finland has placed particular emphasis on strengthening its air defense capabilities and ensuring seamless interoperability with allied forces. Joint training with U.S. F-22 units represents an important step toward achieving that objective.
The Arkansas exercise occurred only days after another notable demonstration of fifth-generation airpower in Finland.
Earlier in June, U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II fighters conducted a series of unconventional operations from Finnish highways as part of NATO Exercise Ramstein Flag 2026. Aircraft assigned to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 224 under the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing became the first Marine Corps F-35Bs to deploy to Finland.
The highway operations were designed to demonstrate combat adaptability and survivability in the increasingly contested Arctic and Northern European regions. By operating from dispersed road bases rather than traditional airfields, the aircraft showcased a capability that could prove critical in future conflicts where fixed air bases may become vulnerable to attack.
The back-to-back exposure to both F-35B expeditionary operations and F-22 integration exercises has provided Finnish personnel with an unprecedented opportunity to observe and learn from some of the most advanced tactical aviation concepts currently employed by the United States military.
While details of the Arkansas exercise were not publicly disclosed, military analysts believe the participating pilots likely focused on advanced mission scenarios involving information sharing, coordinated engagements, airspace management, and networked operations.
Such training is especially important because the F-22 and F-35 were designed for complementary rather than identical roles.
The F-22 Raptor remains the premier air-superiority fighter in the U.S. inventory. Developed primarily to dominate enemy aircraft, it combines exceptional stealth characteristics with unmatched speed, maneuverability, and supercruise performance. Its mission is to penetrate heavily defended airspace, neutralize airborne threats, and establish control of the skies.
The F-35 Lightning II, by contrast, was designed as a multirole platform capable of conducting air-to-air combat, precision strike missions, intelligence gathering, electronic warfare, and suppression of enemy air defenses. While it lacks some of the F-22’s raw aerodynamic performance, it compensates with extraordinary sensor fusion and information-sharing capabilities.
The combination of these strengths creates a powerful operational partnership. In a high-end conflict, F-22s can clear the airspace and eliminate enemy fighters, while F-35s provide targeting data, electronic warfare support, intelligence collection, and precision strike capabilities.
Training exercises allow pilots to refine the tactics needed to maximize these complementary advantages.
The recent Arkansas drills are not the first instance of F-22s and F-35s training together, but they remain relatively uncommon and therefore highly valuable.
In May 2024, U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors participated in a rare air combat exercise with South Korean F-35A fighters over the Korean Peninsula. The event marked the first simulated dogfight between the two advanced aircraft types operated by the allied nations.
The exercise involved close-range aerial combat maneuvers intended to sharpen pilot skills and improve understanding of each aircraft’s strengths and vulnerabilities. Officials at the time noted that the training enabled pilots to exchange tactics and enhance their ability to identify and engage enemy aircraft in complex combat environments.
Similarly, in 2018, U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors conducted a one-day training event with Royal Norwegian Air Force F-35s. Norwegian pilots described the experience as particularly valuable because stealth aircraft rarely encounter equally capable adversaries during routine training.
One Norwegian F-35 pilot remarked that the exercise offered opportunities seldom available in conventional training, noting that F-35s frequently outperform older-generation aircraft and therefore benefit greatly from facing another advanced stealth platform.
Despite both being developed by Lockheed Martin and classified as fifth-generation fighters, the F-22 and F-35 differ substantially in design philosophy.
The F-22 is a twin-engine, single-seat fighter optimized for air dominance. Its stealth profile, high speed, and exceptional agility make it one of the most formidable air-combat aircraft ever fielded.
The F-35, meanwhile, is a single-engine multirole fighter built around information superiority. Its advanced sensor suite enables pilots to collect, process, and distribute vast amounts of battlefield data, providing unprecedented situational awareness.
Former Marine Corps officer and experienced F-22 and F-35 pilot David Berke has previously highlighted these distinctions.
“When it comes to sheer speed, the F-35 just can’t keep up. But it wasn’t built to,” Berke said. “The F-35, with its air-to-ground combat design, is not designed for breakaway speed. It has a top speed of 1.60 Mach and less maneuverability than the F-22 in dogfight scenarios.”
However, Berke emphasized that the Lightning II fills critical operational gaps.
“The Air Force expects that the F-35, with its stealth and sensors, will be able to fill the gaps between flights of F-22s during a large-scale engagement,” he explained.
One of the most important aspects of joint training involves overcoming communication and networking challenges. The two aircraft utilize different datalinks and employ stealth-focused communication systems that can complicate information exchange.
Exercises such as the one at Ebbing allow aircrews to test procedures, develop workarounds, and refine tactics that ensure seamless coordination during combat operations.
For Finland, these lessons carry particular importance. As a NATO member sharing a lengthy border with Russia, the country occupies a strategically critical position on the alliance’s northeastern flank.
The introduction of the F-35 will dramatically enhance Finland’s ability to monitor and defend its airspace while contributing to broader NATO operations. Training alongside F-22 units provides early exposure to the highest levels of allied air combat doctrine and strengthens the integration required for coalition warfare.
Ultimately, the exercise underscored a broader reality of modern airpower: no single aircraft wins battles alone. The future of aerial warfare increasingly depends on networks, information sharing, and the ability of diverse platforms to operate as a unified force.
While the F-22 remains the unrivaled king of air superiority and dogfighting, the F-35 serves as a highly connected battlespace manager capable of gathering intelligence, coordinating forces, and striking targets across multiple domains.
Together, they represent a combination that is far more effective than either aircraft operating independently. For Finland and its NATO allies, mastering that partnership may prove essential in meeting the security challenges of the coming decades.
