Finnish Navy
Finnish Navy is responsible for maritime surveillance, repelling territorial violations and safeguarding vital sealines of communication. Finland´s 675 nautical miles of marine border, its shallow and rock-strewn archipelago, long, dark and icy winters and the vital importance of sea transport to Finland´s prosperity make the Navy´s field of operations littoral, unique and challenging. The Navy comprises the headquarters and seven units and establishments including naval and coastal elements.
The main elements of the fleet are the missile and minewarfare squadrons. These are deployed with the Archipelago Sea and Gulf of Finland Naval Commands with their respective main bases in Turku and Upinniemi. Both Naval Commands also include environmental protection vessels owned by the Ministry of Interior. The Defence Forces divers are trained at the Gulf of Finland Naval Command.
Coastal units comprise of fixed and mobile coastal artillery, coastal jaeger and coastal infantry. Uusimaa Brigade, the only unit providing military training to conscripts in Swedish, along with the Naval Commands train coastal troops. Vaasa Coastal Jaeger Battalion, which is part of Uusimaa Brigade, gives coastal jaeger training, reconnaissance training and boat training to conscripts. Raseborg Coastal Artillery Battalion trains personnel for the mobile coastal artillery. Coastal infantry, fire observers and maritime surveillance and anti-aircraft training are the most important branches of the Naval Commands Naval cadets and future reserve officers of the Navy study at the Naval Academy.
The Naval Research Centre specialises in underwater and electronic warfare studies and in testing the latest technology of the Navy. The Naval Depot stores and maintains the equipment of the Navy. Over 2300 officers, warrant officers, enlisted and civilians make up the Navy´s personnel. Every year about 4300 conscripts enter naval service, of whom about 30 are voluntary women. International cooperation has become an integral part of the Finnish Navy´s way of operating. Both operational and material enhancement is being coordinated through international forums. Both the fleet- and coastal units train yearly in numerous bilateral and multinational exercises in the Baltic Sea region. Also new material projects and system acquisitioning is done extensively in cooperation with the international forum. Finland offers one minelayer-class command vessel for UN- or OSCE-mandated international crisis management operations through the UN-, EU- or PFP- pools of forces. Baltic Sea multinational and bilateral cooperation is also vital in search and rescue and environmental protection operations and even maritime surveillance.
More information: www.mil.fi