Hawks, Dogfights and Bosses Going Toe-to-Toe: NFTE Chiefs Take Combat to the Cloud

It’s not every day that a senior NATO delegate ends up in a simulated dogfight over Finnish skies, but that’s exactly what happened when Air Commodore Rob Caine, Chair of the NATO Flight Training Europe (NFTE) Steering Board and Mr Jas Hawker, NFTE Principal Officer, visited the Finnish Air Force’s pilot training campus at Tikkakoski Airbase.

Finland, currently an observer nation in NFTE, opened its doors to showcase a training system that’s as sharp as the Arctic wind and just as cutting-edge. The visit wasn’t just about briefings and base tours….it was about strapping in, switching on and seeing firsthand how Finland is redefining fast jet training with Live, Virtual and Constructive (LVC) technology.

In a highlight of the visit, Air Commodore Caine took to the skies in a Hawk jet, leading a two-ship formation tasked with defending Allied airspace from simulated threats. On the other side of the digital battlefield? None other than Jas Hawker, once Caine’s flying instructor, now his virtual adversary, operating from a ground station via datalink.

The result was a high-octane mission that blurred the lines between real and virtual. Enemy aircraft, though computer-generated, appeared on cockpit displays as if they were truly airborne. The mission, which would have required eight jets and as many instructors just a few years ago, was executed with just two aircraft and the rest simulated, saving time, cost and carbon!

Despite Hawker’s best efforts, the “good guys” prevailed. With a grin, he chalked up the loss to “20 years of excellent instruction finally paying off.”

Demonstrating collaboration and the power of excellent training & innovation, this event was a glimpse into the future of Allied aircrew training. LVC tech is revolutionising how NATO prepares its fast jet pilots, allowing for complex, high-threat scenarios without the logistical burden of full-scale live exercises.

“The Finnish Air Force fast jet pilot training system is certainly world-class,” said Air Commodore Caine. “It ably demonstrates how an agile and innovative Air Force can adopt technology into existing resources to increase the effectiveness of their pilot training.”

With Finland already showcasing a training system that mirrors NFTE’s ambitions, the visit marked a bold stride toward deeper integration, future collaboration, and unlocking new potential across allied aircrew development.