Equipment of the Finnish Army
This is a list of weapons used by the Finnish Army, for past equipment, see here.
Armour
Main Battle Tanks
- Leopard 2A4 - 91 to 100 units. (124 were originally purchased, complemented with an additional 15 units bought to be used as spare parts, another 12 were later disassembled into spares, and 12 converted into combat engineering and bridging tanks).
- T-55M - 70 units.
Infantry Fighting Vehicles
Armoured personnel carriers (tracked)
- BTR-50PK - 73 units. Will be scrapped.
- MT-LB - 367 units, plus some 41 "look-a-likes".[1]
Armored personnel carriers (wheeled)
Personnel carriers and trucks
Jeeps
All-terrain vehicles
Trucks
- Scania P420 - 6x4
- Scania 114C - 6x4
- Scania 114G - 6x4
- Scania 124G - 6x4
- Scania 164G - 6x4
- Scania G480 - 6x4
- Mercedes-Benz Actros 2741 - 6x6
- Sisu E11T - 6x6
- Sisu SA-240 Rasi - 6x6
- Sisu SA-241 Rasi - 6x6
- Sisu Kontio - 6x2
- Sisu SK-250 - 6x2
- DAF YAD4442 - 4x4
- DAF YAS4442 - 4x4
- Mercedes-Benz Atego 1323 - 4x4
- Mercedes-Benz Atego 1623 - 4x4
- Sisu A2045 - 232 4x4 vehicles for delivery 2009-2010. It has also an option for an additional 240 vehicles to be bought after 2010.
- Sisu SA-130 Masi - 4x4
- Sisu SA-150 Masi - 4x4
- Sisu SA-151 Masi - 4x4
- Sisu SL171 - 4x4
- Sisu SK181 MIL - 4x4
- Sisu SA-110 Sammakko - 4x4 armoured truck manufactured between A-45 ans Sisu SA-151 (only some 6-7 produced and used in UN missions.
- Sisu Karhu - 4x2
- Scania P380 - 4x4
Engineer Vehicles
Support vehicles
Air-defence
Anti-aircraft protection of important targets is provided by Crotale anti-aircraft missile systems mounted on Sisu Pasi armoured vehicles,[3] ASRAD-R anti-aircraft missile system mounted on Unimog 5000 trucks and by Swiss Oerlikon 35 mm twin-barrel AA guns.[4] Helsinki and other important targets are protected by the late-generation Soviet SAM missile system BUK M1 (SA-11).[5] Close-range anti-aircraft support for troops is provided by 23 mm twin-barrel AA guns (Soviet-made ZU-23-2),[6] shoulder-fired Igla-M missiles.[7]The SA-18 SAMs are scheduled to be replaced by the early 2010s. Possible candidates for the job are, MBDA Mistral, Saab Bolide, FIM-92 Stinger, SA-24 Igla-S, PZR GROM (SA-18) and LIG Nex1 Chiron.[8]
Anti-Aircraft Artillery
- 23 ITK 95 - Modernized Soviet 23 mm twin-barreled ZU-23-2 AA gun. 45 units.
- 35 ITK 88 - Swiss Oerlikon 35 mm twin-barreled AA gun. 16 units.
- 23 ITK 61 - Soviet 23 mm twin-barreled ZU-23-2 AA gun. Originally 1,100 units, some have been scrapped. Most will likely be scrapped soon.
- ITPSV 90 Marksman - 35 mm self-propelled, twin-barreled AA gun, mounted on a T-55 chassis. 7 units. Will be taken out of service.
Surface-to-Air Missiles
- ITO 2005 and ITO 2005 M (MANPADS) - ASRAD-R SAM system. 16 units (12 mounted on MB Unimog 5000 and 4 on Sisu Nasu) Will replace ITO 86 and ITO 86 M. Each battery has also four MANPADS systems.
- ITO 96 - Soviet BUK-M1 SAM system. 9(+9) units (3 batteries). Including 9A39M1, 9A310M1, 9S18M1, and 9S470M1 vehicles. The system will be replaced ahead of schedule due to the system's vulnerability to electronic warfare, such as scrambling. It will be replaced by the 4 batteries of Norwegian NASAMS II missile system sometime after 2015 (24 launch units).[9] The deal is valued at over 500 million euros (of which 176 millions are costs for a new radar surveillance system).[10]
- ITO 90 - Crotale NG SAM system, mounted on a Sisu XA-181 chassis. 10 units.
Artillery
Forward Observer
- BMP-1TJ - unarmed artillery forward observer vehicle in BMP-1 chassis.
- BMP-1TJJ - armed artillery forward observer vehicle in BMP-1 chassis.
MLRS
- 298 RsRakH 06 - 227 mm self-propelled rocket launcher (M270 MLRS). 22 units.
- 122 RAKH 89 - Czech 122 mm self-propelled multiple rocket launcher. 36 units.
Self Propelled
- 152 TELAK 91 - Soviet 152 mm self-propelled gun (2S5 Giatsint-S). 18 units. Will be soon taken out of service.
- 122 PSH 74 - Soviet 122 mm self-propelled howitzer (2S1 Gvodzika). 72 units. Will be soon taken out of service.
Field Howitzers
- 122 H 63A - Soviet 122 mm towed D-30 howitzer. Three different versions. 486 units.
Field Guns
- 155 K 98 - 155 mm field gun with an auxiliary power unit to move the gun. 36 units.
- 130 K 90-60 - 130 mm towed field gun, used by the coastal artillery. 15 units.
- 152 K 89 - 152 mm towed field gun. 24 units.
- 155 K 83 - 155 mm towed field gun. 108 units.
- 155 K 83-97 - 155 K 83 155 mm towed field gun, which has been modernized to NATO standards.
Mortars
Self Propelled Mortars
Towed heavy mortars (total: ca. 900)
- 120 KRH 92 - 120 mm mortar.
- 120 KRH 92-76 - 120 mm mortar.
- 120 KRH 85-92 - 120 mm mortar.
- 120 KRH 38-77 - 120 mm mortar.
- 120 KRH 3842-77 - 120 mm mortar.
Light mortars (total: ca. 1,400)
- 81 KRH 97 - 81 mm leightweight, commando mortar, also known as 81COM97.
- 81 KRH 71-96 Y - 81 mm mortar.
- 81 KRH 71 Y - 81 mm mortar.
- 81 KRH 38 Y - 81 mm mortar.
- 82 KRH 36 RT - 82 mm mortar.
Anti-tank weapons
Guided
- PSTOHJ 2000 - Euro-Spike anti-tank missiles. 100 launchers for MR version.
- RO 2006 - Euro-Spike anti-tank missiles. 18 launchers for ER version.
- PSTOHJ 83 MA - BGM-71E, TOW 2A, tandem warhead version
- PSTOHJ 83 MB - BMG-71F, TOW 2B, top-down attack version
Unguided
Infantry weapons
Assault rifles:
- 7.62 RK 95 TP, modernized version of the standard assault rifle, manufactured by SAKO.
- 7.62 RK 76, modernized version of the standard assault rifle. This version is also in most widespread use, but usually identified as Rk 62.
- 7.62 RK 72 TP, East German-made AKMS-47 (MPi-KMS-72), purchased in large numbers for reserve troops. Folding stock version is used by various tank, APC and IFV crewmen.
- 7.62 RK 62, original version of the standard assault rifle, manufactured by Valmet.
- 7.62 RK 56 and 7.62 RK 56 TP, Chinese-made copies of the AK-47, purchased in large numbers for reserve troops, but not commonly used.
- Heckler & Koch G36, operated by the border guards rapid response unit.
Machine guns:
- 7.62 KVKK 62, Finnish-made machine gun, manufactured by Valmet.
- 7.62 KK PKM, Russian-made PKM machine gun, current standard machine gun in the Finnish army.
- 7.62 KK PKT, Russian-made PKT machine gun, current standard machine gun in most tanks and IFV's in the Finnish army.
- 7.62 KK MG3, German-made MG 3, light armament on Leopard 2 tanks and NH90 helicopters.
- 12.7 RSKK 2005, American-made M2 Browning machine gun, found on the Patria AMV's Kongsberg weapon turrets.
- 12.7 ITKK 96, Russian-made NSV machine gun, current standard heavy machine gun of the Finnish Army.
Sniper rifles:
Pistols & submachine guns:
- 9.00 PIST 2008, Glock 17 with specially made RTF2 checkering texture around the grip, 20 N (4.5 lbf) trigger pull, self illuminating tritium sights and a 17+2 round magazine.[13]
- 9.00 PIST 2003, Walther P99, used by special forces and military police.
- 9.00 KP 2000, Heckler & Koch MP5, used by special forces.
- 9.00 PIST 80, Belgian-made FN HP-DA pistol.
- 9.00 PIST 80-91, factory-refurbished PIST 80's.
- 9.00 PIST SIG-Sauer, peace-keepers and military marching bands.
- 12 HAUL REM 870, standard shotgun.
Support weapons:
- 40 KRKK 2005, grenade machine gun, manufactured by Heckler & Koch.
- 40 KRPIST 2002, grenade launcher, manufactured by Heckler & Koch.
Bilateral trade agreements between Finland and the Soviet Union often included weapons. As a curiosity, many Russian weapons were supplied as a "package". For example, tanks came with AK-47 sidearms for the crew. A large amounts of Soviet equipment was also bought from Germany after the German reunification.
Army Aviation
The NH90 TTH (Tactical Transport Helicopters) is the main type of transport helicopters used, having replaced Soviet Mi-8s. The Army also uses Hughes 500 D and E helicopters in reconnaissance and training roles. The Finnish Army has 11 unmanned reconnaissance airplanes (RUAG Ranger), which are used for reconnaissance and artillery targeting purposes. The Finnish Army is also field testing Patria's new mini-UAV.[14]
Due to the 3 year delivery delay of the NH90s, the Finnish Army had to refurbish two of its remaining Mil Mi-8s in Saint Petersburg, in order to increase their lifespan by 5 years.[15][16] Another option, which was evaluated, but not exercised as an intermediate solution was the possible lease, and later purchase, of an unknown number of UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters from the United States.[17]
References
- ^ www.mil.fi
- ^ [1]
- ^ Finnish Defence Forces equipment presentation
- ^ Finnish Defence Forces equipment presentation
- ^ Finnish Defence Forces equipment presentation
- ^ Finnish Defence Forces equipment presentation
- ^ Finnish Defence Forces equipment presentation
- ^ Defence Industry Daily
- ^ http://www.uusisuomi.fi/kotimaa/58481-tallaiset-ovat-suomen-uudet-ilma-aseet Uusi Suomi 29.4.2009
- ^ YLE Government Buying Radar and Missile System worth over EUR 500 million
- ^ www.mil.fi
- ^ http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/4373/108374267618127tkiv2000lu6.jpg www.mil.fi
- ^ Ruotuväki: Puolustusvoimille uusia pistooleja Ruotuväki 03/09. Retrieved on 16-08-2009. Language: Finnish.
- ^ Finnish Army press release
- ^ Ruotuväki: Utin kopterit korjaukseen?
- ^ www.mil.fi: Mi8-helikoptereille lisää lentotunteja
- ^ www.hs.fi/english 9 November 2007
- ^ "World Military Aircraft Inventory", Aerospace Source Book 2007, Aviation Week & Space Technology, January 15, 2007.
