Finland To Build New Corvettes For Its Navy

The Finland Ministry of Defence yesterday has given green signal to the nation’s Defence Forces to launch the procurement program of the next squadron of ships for the Finnish Navy.

Known as Laivue 2020 (Squadron 2020), the program’s aim is to procure four corvettes to replace the three minelayers of the Pohjanmaa- and Hämeenmaa-classes, as well as the four light fast attack craft of the Rauma-class. 

The new class of ships, which will be built with a high degree of indigenous content, will be capable of performing all missions, including safeguarding Finnish merchant shipping and protecting the seaside borders from unwanted attention

The Navy by law is set to handle all year round in all weather conditions, CorporalFrisk blog reported Saturday.

As such, these will feature anti-air, anti-submarine, [and] anti-shipping capability. While geared towards ‘traditional’ coastal defence missions, they will also feature a secondary capability for international missions. The distinguishing feature will be their size, which will make them some of the largest warships throughout the history of the Finnish Navy.

Requests for Information will be sent out this year or during the beginning of next. The order should be finalised in 2018, after which the vessels will be built during 2019 to 2024, with initial operational capability 2025, and the squadron operational as a cohesive unit in 2028.