British Army Apache helicopters have fired Hellfire missiles on Finnish soil for the first time, marking a milestone in deepening UK-Finland defence ties and showcasing NATO interoperability, according to social media posts by participating forces.
Crews from 3 Regiment Army Air Corps (3 Regt AAC), part of the British Army’s High Readiness Aviation Task Force, joined 4 Regiment AAC and Finland’s Army (@Maavoimat) during joint exercises in Lapland.
The AH-64E Apache attack helicopters conducted live-fire missions with 30mm cannon and Hellfire missiles under Finnish Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) guidance.
Our crews have joined @4RegimentAAC to fire Hellfire and 30mm with @Maavoimat in Lapland 🔥🔥#strongertogether #attack https://t.co/39Wp90390g
— 3 Regiment Army Air Corps (@3RegimentAAC) May 21, 2025
The exercise formed part of ongoing efforts to enhance joint operational capability with NATO and partner nations. In a statement posted on 21 May, 3 Regt AAC said: “Our crews have joined @4RegimentAAC to fire Hellfire and 30mm with @Maavoimat in Lapland.”
The Finnish Defence Forces shared further details, noting that British Apaches were integrated into a wider combined arms scenario at the Rovajärvi training area. According to @Maavoimat, the live-fire coordination included “artillery, jets, drones and infantry from Finland, Sweden and the UK.”
In a related announcement, the Finnish Defence Forces’ main account (@Puolustusvoimat) described the event as a historic first: “History made in Finland: Hellfire missiles fired for the first time on Finnish soil during #NorthernStrike.”
3 Regt AAC, based at Wattisham Airfield, was the first unit to operate the British Army’s upgraded AH-64E Apache helicopters. The regiment describes itself as the British Army’s “Warfighting Attack Helicopter Regiment and High Readiness Aviation Task Force.” In a pinned tweet from July 2024, the unit said: “We’re ready to go anywhere, at any time, and deliver battle-winning attack aviation for the British Army.”
This deployment follows a year of heightened activity for 3 Regt AAC, which has operated in 11 countries to support allied training and operational integration
