NATO Forward Land Forces Finland to start operations on 6 June

NATO Forward Land Forces Finland to start operations on 6 June

NATO's Forward Land Forces Finland (FLF Finland) will be officially founded on Saturday 6 June 2026.

"The launch of FLF Finland is a significant step in the process to strengthen Finland and the northern flank of the whole Alliance. At the start of the government term, we announced as our goal to establish NATO's Forward Land Forces in Finland. We promoted our objectives with determination at ministerial and commander level and in various NATO bodies, and our Allies endorsed our proposal. Since then, progress have been swift, and FLF Finland will be officially founded tomorrow," Finland's Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen said.

With the establishing of FLF Finland, a Swedish battlegroup based in Boden, northern Sweden, and a Multinational Staff Element in Rovaniemi, northern Finland, will be transferred under the command of General Alexus G. Grynkewich, Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR).

"Like NATO's other Forward Land Forces, FLF Finland, too, has been designed for operations in specific geographical environments and for response to specific threats. In practice, FLF Finland will strengthen NATO's deterrence and defence in the High North by providing SACEUR with forces specialised on Arctic conditions, reinforcing the security of Finland and our neighbouring regions. At the same time, we will provide our Allies with an opportunity to exercise land warfare in Arctic conditions," Minister Häkkänen said.

The core of FLF Finland will be a Swedish battalion-size battlegroup of around 600 highly-trained soldiers with an ability for rapid transfer from their base in Boden to Finland. It will operate under the Multinational Staff Element in Rovaniemi. In future, the total strength of FLF Finland will be of a brigade size and scaling it up beyond the battalion-size battlegroup to a brigade-size unit will be exercised regularly.

"Defence cooperation between Finland and Sweden is of long standing, enabling the rapid progress we have made with turning FLF Finland from plans into reality. Earlier this year, the movement of Swedish forces from Sweden to Finland was exercised during the Cold Response exercise. The plan is to transform them into multinational forces, and to continue improving exercises in the FLF Finland framework together with Sweden and other Allies. The Arctic conditions in Northern Finland necessitate that any Ally contributing to FLF Finland can provide forces and capabilities fit for our conditions," Häkkänen said.

The United Kingdom, France, Italy, Denmark and Iceland have also announced their participation in the development of FLF Finland.

Janne Kuusela, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, will represent the Ministry of Defence of Finland at the FLF Finland inauguration ceremony in Boden, Sweden.

Inquiries:

Samuli Puhakka, Senior Specialist, Ministry of Defence, tel. +358 295 140 089.

Requests for interviews with Minister Häkkänen: Dani Niskanen, Special Adviser, tel. +358 415 444 967.