Finnish Air Force
|
The '''Finnish Air Force''' (Finnish language|Finnish: ''Ilmavoimat'') is one of the branches of the Finnish Defence Forces.
Suomen Ilmavoimat
Motto: ''Qualitas Potentia Nostra''
"Quality is our strength".
| | Established | 6 March, 1918
| | Personnel | 2974
| | Commander-in-Chief | Brigadier General Heikki Lyytinen
|
Organisation
The Air Force is organised into three commands, each of which operates a fighter squadron:
Air Force Headquarters and Academy 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 Training Air Wing (Fighter Squadron 41) 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 - 31.12.2004
Brigadier General Heikki Lyytinen 1.1.2005 -
Equipment
F-18 Hornet|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|Piper PA-31-350 Chieftain (PC), liaison aircraft (6)
Piper PA-28|Piper PA-28 Arrow (PA), liaison aircraft (7)
http://www.ilmavoimat.fi/index_en.phphttp://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?airlinesearch=Finland%20-%20Air%20Force
|