The Italian Air Force has carried out operations with F-35B fighter jets on highways for the first time during the Imminent Field 26 exercise in Finland.
According to a report by The Aviationist, the activity took place at the Jokioinen alternate runway, set up on a section of Finland’s Highway 2.
The training takes place between May 18 and 22 and is organized by Satakunta Air Wing. The aim of the Finnish Air Force is to practice dispersed operations and increase aircraft survivability in the event of conflict, using roads as improvised runways.
The Italian F-35B jets took part in landings and takeoffs on the highway, making use of the variant’s STOVL capability, which allows short takeoffs and vertical landings. The aircraft are operating from Pirkkala Air Base in Finland.
In addition to the Italian fighters, the exercise also includes Finnish F/A-18 Hornet aircraft, Hawk training jets and Learjet 35A/S utility aircraft.
The initiative is part of Italy’s strategy to expand its expeditionary operating capability and Agile Combat Employment, a concept that calls for the rapid dispersal of aircraft to alternative locations if traditional air bases are threatened. In February, Italian officials had already confirmed that they were studying the use of highways for F-35 operations.
Finland has been using this type of training for years. In 2023, Norwegian F-35A fighters carried out landings on Finnish roads, while Dutch aircraft took part in similar exercises in 2025.
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Photo: Instagram @aeronautica.militare. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
