Finnish Army

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The Finnish Army (Finnish: Maavoimat) is one of the branches of the Finnish Defence Forces.

The Army is further divided into six branches:

Contents

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History of the Finnish Army

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Organisation

The Army is organised into three commands: western, eastern and northern. The commands are responsible for the defence and planning in their areas. The commands are further divided into twelve military provinces which are responsible for conscription, mustering of troops in wartime, organizing the local defence and aiding the voluntary defence organizations.

Western Command

Guard Jaeger Regiment (Helsinki)
Helsinki Air Defence Regiment (Hyrylä)
Armoured Brigade (Parola)
Häme Regiment (Lahti)
Signals Regiment (Riihimäki)
Pori Brigade (Säkylä) ( Readiness brigade )
Artillery Brigade (Niinisalo)
Engineer Regiment (Keuruu)

Eastern Command

Karelia Brigade (Vekaranjärvi) ( Readiness brigade )
Reserve Officer School (Hamina)
Savo Brigade (Mikkeli)
North Karelia Brigade (Joensuu)

Northern Command

Kainuu Brigade (Kajaani) ( Readiness brigade )
Jaeger Brigade (Sodankylä)
Lapland Air Defence Regiment (Rovaniemi)

The Utti Jaeger Regiment which trains Airborne Jaegers and Special Jaegers is directly under the Defence Staff. Since 1998 the Uusimaa Brigade is part of the Finnish Navy.

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Equipment

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Armour

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Main Battle Tanks
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Infantry Fighting Vehicles
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Tracked Armoured Vehicles
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Wheeled Armoured Vehicles

Also in use are different models of the Patria Sisu XA-series (Sisu XA-185). BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicles are used by the armoured jaeger companies and BMP-2s are used by armoured recon and armoured anti-tank companies. New Swedish Combat Vehicle 90s and Finnish Patria AMV 8x8s have been ordered for the Readiness brigades.

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Air-defence

Anti-aircraft protection of important targets are handled by Crotale AA missile systems mounted on Sisu XA-180 armoured vehicles [1], ASRAD-R AA missile system mounted on Unimog 5000 truck and by swiss Oerlikon 35 mm twin-barrel AA cannons [2]. Helsinki and other important targets are protected by late-generation Russian AA missile system BUK M1 (SA-11) [3]. Close-range AA support for troops is provided by 23 mm twin-barrel AA cannons (Russian-made ZU-23-2, nicknamed "Sergei") [4], shoulder-fired Igla-M missiles [5] and RBS 70 man-portable air defence missile system.

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Artillery

Brigades are equipped with 122mm and 152 mm towed field howitzers. Army corps are supported by 130mm, 152mm and 155mm field guns and 122 mm multiple rocket launchers. Armoured brigades are equipped with Soviet produced self-propelled howitzers (2S1 122mm). Brigades are also equipped with 81mm and 120mm mortars. In 2006 Finland purchased 22 M270 MLRS launchers from Netherlands.

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Anti-tank weapons

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Infantry weapons

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Army Aviation

Soviet produced nine Mi-8 helicopters are used by the army for transport, hoisting and rescue services. 20 European NH90 TTH (Tactical Transport Helicopters) will enter service in the near-future, replacing the Mi-8s. The Army also used Hughes 500 D and E helicopters. The Finnish Army has 10 unmanned reconnaissance airplanes (ranger), which are used for reconnaissance and artillery targeting purposes.

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Tables of organization and equipment

In wartime, the army is composed of Jaeger, Infantry and Armoured Brigades. Jaeger and infantry brigades are similar, except that infantry brigades are equipped with older materiel. Three of the Jaeger brigades are special Readiness brigades with rapid reaction capability. They are lighter, more mobile and more heavily armed than the ordinary jaeger brigades, and have a higher proportion of regular to reservist personnel; there is one readiness brigade for each of Finland's 3 territorial commands.

  • 3 Readiness brigades (Brigade 2005)
  • 1 Armoured brigade
  • 4 Jaeger brigades (Jaeger brigade '90)
  • 2 Mechanized Battle Groups
  • 1 Helicopter Battalion
  • 7 Infantry brigades (Infantry brigade '80)
  • 29 Separate Battalions
  • 170 Local defence units
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Jaeger Brigade

  • 4 jaeger battalions
  • anti-tank guided missile company
  • HQ company
  • reconnaissance company
  • field artillery regiment
  • anti-aircraft battalion
  • signals company
  • logistics company
  • engineer battalion

Total strength about 6300 men and 1100 vehicles.

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Materiel

  • ~ 3500 disposable recoilless anti-tank weapons (Apilas and M72 LAW)
  • 22 anti-tank missile launchers (TOW-2 and AT-5)
  • 36 heavy mortars (120mm Tampella)
  • 36 field artillery pieces (122mm and 152mm)
  • 18 anti-aircraft guns (23mm ZU-23-2)
  • 20 anti-aircraft missiles launchers (Igla)
  • 150 anti-aircraft machine guns (12.7mm NSV)
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Armoured Brigade

  • 3 armoured battalions
  • anti-tank missile company
  • armoured reconnaissance company
  • field artillery regiment
  • anti-aircraft battalion
  • signal battalion
  • logistic battalion
  • engineer battalion

Total strength about 5700 men.

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Materiel

  • 70 main battle tanks (T-72M1)
  • 125 armoured infantry fighting vehicles (BMP-1 and BMP-2)
  • ~ 100 Armoured personnel carriers (MT-LBv)
  • ~ 25 armoured command & signals vehicles (BTR-50)
  • 6 -9 armoured AA vehicles (Marksman 2x35mm or ZSU-57-2 2x57mm)
  • 2 self-propelled SAM systems (Crotale NG)
  • 20 anti-aircraft missiles launchers (Igla)
  • 22 anti-aircraft guns (23mm ZU-23-2)
  • ~ 20 armoured engineer vehicles (Based primarily on T-55 main battle tank)
  • ~ 15 armoured forward observation vehicles (modified BMP-1)
  • 36 armoured self-propelled howitzers (2S1)
  • 29 heavy mortars (120mm Tampella)
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See also


Lists of Aircraft | Aircraft manufacturers | Aircraft engines | Aircraft engine manufacturers

Airports | Airlines | Air forces | Aircraft weapons | Missiles | Timeline of aviation

fi:Suomen maavoimat

sv:Finländska armén

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