Archipelago Sea Naval Command

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Archipelago Sea Naval Command
Colour of the Command
Active	1998–
Country	Finland
Branch	Finnish Navy
Role	Coastal defence
Size	320 conscripts, 640 career personnel[1]
Part of	Finnish Navy
Headquarters	Pansio, Turku
Nickname	Ässämmepa
March	Ernst von Vegesack March
Equipment	MTO 85, Rauma class, Helsinki class, Hämeenmaa class

Archipelago Sea Naval Command (Finnish: Saaristomeren Meripuolustusalue, Swedish: Skärgårdshavets Marinkommando) is a Finnish Navy unit headquartered in Pansio, Turku.

The main duty of the Archipelago Sea Naval Command during normal condition is the surveillance of Finnish territorial waters and maintaining territorial integrity. In addition, the Command trains conscripts to fulfil duties in the crisis-time organization of the Command. The Command is always at the state of enhanced readiness, prepared to repel unauthorized incursions to Finnish waters using force. In a crisis, securing the sea lanes for the use of Finnish commercial shipping would be the main duty of the Command.^[2]

Turku Coastal Battalion's Sea Company (Merikomppania, MeriK) has an NCO School with Navy and Military Police lines, as well Marine Engineer Platoon. ACNC doesn't give basic training for conscripts anymore, as all Finnish Navy conscripts being inducted at Gulf of Finland Naval Command's Navy Training Centre at Upinniemi.

[edit] Organization

• 6th Missile Squadron (6. Ohjuslaivue), operating Rauma and Helsinki class fast attack craft and land-based surface-to-surface missiles.
• 4th Mine Warfare Squadron (4. Miinalaivue), operating Hämeenmaa and Pansio class mine layers and Kuha class anti-mine warfare ships
• Turku Coastal Battalion (Turun Rannikkopataljoona), responsible for providing logistics, force protection and coastal artillery support for the command. The unit is also responsible for the surveillance of territorial waters.
• Logistics Centre (Huoltokeskus)
• Navy Band (Laivaston Soittokunta)

[edit] References