Air exercise over northern Sweden, 9–22 March
Between 9 and 22 March, the Norwegian-led exercise Cold Response 2026 will take place in Norway, Sweden and Finland.
For the Swedish Armed Forces and the Swedish Army, the majority of the exercise activities will take place on the ground in northern Finland. The Swedish Air Force is also participating in the exercise. Fighter aircraft, helicopters and transport aircraft — from Sweden and other participating nations — will operate over and from northern Sweden.
The exercise airspace covers northern Sweden, northern Finland and northern Norway. In Sweden, the area extends across Norrbotten County and parts of Västerbotten County.
What residents may notice
The public will primarily notice the air activity as aircraft noise. Low-level flying and supersonic flight will also take place.
Low-level flying
During low-level flying, aircraft and helicopters may be both visible and audible from the ground. Such operations are normally conducted over sparsely populated areas.
The Swedish Armed Forces make every effort to avoid areas used for reindeer husbandry and other sensitive locations, in dialogue with affected stakeholders, including Sámi reindeer herding communities.
Supersonic flight
During supersonic flight, a pressure wave forms in front of the aircraft. When this wave reaches the ground, it may be perceived as a loud bang. The intensity of the sound may vary depending on weather and wind conditions.
Supersonic flight is part of the Swedish Armed Forces’ regular flight operations and is conducted both over land and at sea. There are regulations in place to take into account those on the ground. One such regulation is that supersonic speed may not be conducted below 10,000 metres over land. Over the sea, lower altitudes are permitted.
Lights in the sky
Aircraft are equipped with countermeasures in the form of chaff or flares. Flares may appear as brief, bright lights released in the air.
These are deployed in accordance with regulations. They are released at such high altitude that they burn out completely before reaching the ground and are therefore entirely harmless to the public.
Flight activity schedule
During the exercise, two main flying periods will generally take place each day. However, flight operations may also occur at other times.
09:00–12:00 – “Shadow wave” Swedish fighter aircraft operate within Swedish airspace.
14:00–17:00 – “Main wave” Sweden, Norway and Finland operate together with other international participants throughout the entire exercise airspace.
More about the exercise:
Military transports and exercises affect Boden
During spring 2026, military transports and exercises will take place in northern Sweden. In Boden, this means increased military presence and transports on public roads, which may periodically affect traffic flow and accessibility.
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Text by: Municipality of Boden
Photo by: Shutterstock, Swedish Armed Forces
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