Finland proposes hosting NATO reconnaissance drone base on its territory

Finland has offered to host a NATO base for large reconnaissance drones on its soil, with the Finnish Air Force identifying four potential locations for the facility.

The most likely candidate is the Pirkkala Airbase, located in western Finland, Caliber.Az reports per foreign sources.

Currently, NATO reconnaissance drones, including the US Air Force’s RQ-4 Global Hawk, are based in Italy and conduct intelligence-gathering missions over Finnish airspace. These missions are focused on monitoring Russia's eastern border. A notable operation occurred in late August, when the RQ-4 Global Hawk flew multiple sorties, including surveillance over the Russian port city of Murmansk. Following this, a US RC-135U Combat Sent reconnaissance aircraft was also deployed to conduct additional monitoring, flying similar patterns in the region.

While NATO's plans for a new drone base in Northern Europe are still in the early stages, the alliance has expressed a need for a permanent reconnaissance facility in the region. The decision on the final location is expected to be made next year.

In addition to this proposed drone base, it was previously reported that the Finnish city of Mikkeli will host NATO’s regional headquarters for ground forces in Northern Europe. This decision was influenced by Mikkeli's strategic importance, as it is already home to the Finnish Armed Forces' headquarters.

By Vafa Guliyeva