Equipment of the Finnish Army

This is a list of weapons used by the Finnish Army, for past equipment, see here.

Armour and other vehicles

ModelImageOriginTypeVariantNumberDetails
Tanks
Leopard 2A6  Germany Main Battle Tank Leopard 2A6 (100) Finland has agreed to purchase 100 used Leopard 2A6 tanks from the Netherlands. These will be delivered between 2015 and 2019.[1]
Leopard 2A4  Germany Main Battle Tank Leopard 2A4 108[2] 108 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).
Infantry fighting vehicle
CV-90  Sweden Infantry Fighting Vehicle CV-9030 FIN 102
BMP-2  Soviet Union Infantry Fighting Vehicle BMP-2 94 Will be modernized between 2015 and 2019.[3]
Armoured personnel carriers (tracked)
MT-LB  Soviet Union
 Poland 		Tracked armoured personnel carrier MT-LBu-P

MT-LBu-TP
MT-LBu-PS
MT-LBV

 389 [4]
Armoured personnel carriers (wheeled)
Patria AMV  Finland Armoured personnel carrier XA-360 62 With Protector (RWS) remote weapon station.
Sisu Pasi  Finland Armoured personnel carrier XA-180
XA-185
XA-202
XA-203 		409 The remaining vehicles are due to be upgraded.
Jeeps
RG-32 Scout  South Africa MRAP RG32M 74 [5][6][7][8]
Mercedes-Benz G-Class  Germany Armoured Jeep Daimler Mercedes-Benz G300
Mercedes-Benz Geländewagen 270 GDI
Land Rover Defender 110  United Kingdom Armoured Jeep
Toyota Hilux  Japan Pickup truck [9]
All-terrain vehicles
Bandvagn 206  Sweden Tracked articulated all-terrain transport vehicle BV206 D6N ~400 Some 274 have recently been purchased from Norway in two batches (123 in 2012 and another 171 in 2013).
Sisu Nasu  Finland Tracked articulated, all-terrain transport vehicle Sisu NA-120 GT
Sisu NA-12 GT KV1 		~250[10]
Bombardier Recreational Products'Lynx Lynx  Finland
 Canada 		Snowmobile Lynx GLX 5900
Polaris Sportsman  United States ATV 500/800 EFI
Sportsman MV7
Military engineering vehicles
Leopard 2L  Germany
 Finland 		AVLB 6
Leopard 2R  Germany
 Finland 		CEV 6
BLG-60M2  East Germany
 Poland 		AVLB 12
T-55M with KMT-5M  Soviet Union
 Poland 		CEV
Sisu E15TP Leguan  Germany
 Finland 		Bridging vehicle 9
Sisu RA-140 DS  Finland Mine clearance vehicle
Support vehicles
VT-55A  Czechoslovakia ARV
JVBT-55A  Czechoslovakia HARV
KAM-1  Soviet Union
 Poland
 Finland 		ARV KAM-1
KAM-2 		2 (one KAM-1 and one KAM-2)

Trucks

Air-defence

Anti-aircraft protection of important targets is provided by Crotale anti-aircraft missile systems mounted on Sisu Pasi armoured vehicles,[13] ASRAD-R anti-aircraft missile system mounted on Unimog 5000 trucks and by Swiss Oerlikon 35 mm twin-barrel AA guns.[14] Helsinki and other important targets are protected by the late-generation Soviet SAM missile system BUK M1 (SA-11), which is due to be replaced by NASAMS 2.[15] Close-range anti-aircraft support for troops is provided by 23 mm twin-barrel AA guns (Soviet-made ZU-23-2)[16] and by shoulder-fired FIM-92F Stinger-RMP Block I missiles.[17] The SA-18 SAMs are scheduled to be replaced by the early 2010s. Possible candidates are, MBDA Mistral, Saab Bolide, FIM-92 Stinger, SA-24 Igla-S, PZR GROM and LIG Nex1 Chiron.[18]

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. Before modernization, these were known as 35 ITK 58. 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. 6 armed units and one training tank. The tanks were mothballed for 5 years, but trials have been made to replace the chassis with one from the Leopard 2A4 in order to allow it back into service.[19]

Surface-to-Air Missiles

  • FIM-92F Stinger-RMP Block I - known as ITO15. Ordered in 2014.[20]
  • FIM-92A Stinger - Bought from Denmark in 2014 as training equipment.
  • NASAMS 2 - 24 launch units equipped with AIM-120C-7 missiles.[21][22][23] The deal is valued at over 500 million euros (of which 176 millions are costs for a new radar surveillance system).[24]
  • 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 partly replace ITO 86 and ITO 86 M. Each vehicle is also teamed with one MANPADS system. There are currently some 86 MANPADS launch units.
  • ITO 96 - Soviet BUK-M1 SAM system. One brigade with 3 batteries, each one equipped with one radar vehicle, 6 TELAR units and 2 TEL units (a total of 24 launch units: 18+6). Including 9A39M1, 9A310M1, 9S18M1, and 9S470M1 vehicles. The system will be replaced ahead of schedule due to the system's vulnerability to electronic warfare. It will be replaced by 4 batteries of Norwegian NASAMS II missile system from 2015
  • ITO 90MOD - Crotale NG SAM system, mounted on a Sisu XA-181 chassis. 20 units. Currently being modernized.

Artillery

Forward Observer

  • BMP-1TJ - unarmed artillery forward observer vehicle in BMP-1 chassis. 10 units
  • 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. An additional 12 units were purchased from Denmark, to be used as driver training vehicles, as they lacked ammunition and launch computers. The deal was worth 4,8 M€.[25]
  • 122 RAKH 89 - Czech 122 mm self-propelled multiple rocket launcher. 36 units.

Self Propelled

  • 122 PSH 74 - Soviet 122 mm self-propelled howitzer (2S1 Gvodzika). 72 units. Modification in preparation.

Field Howitzers

  • 122 H 63A - Soviet 122 mm towed D-30 howitzer. Three different versions. 471 units.

Field Guns

  • 155 K 98 - 155 mm field gun with an auxiliary power unit to move the gun. 54 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

  • XA 361 - 120 mm twin-barrel AMOS mortar on a Patria AMV platform. 18 units.[26]
  • Krh-TeKa - 120 mm mortar on a SISU NA-140 BT platform. Designated Krh-TeKa (Kranaatinheitintelakuorma-auto). 27 units.
  • 81 KRH 13 was included in the purchase of Norwegian Bv 206D vehicles in 2013.

Towed heavy mortars (total: ca. 900)

  • 120 KRH 92 - 120 mm mortar. 261 units.
  • 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 lightweight, 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. Finland also bought some 40 Gill launch units along with missiles from the Netherlands in December 2013. These will be upgraded to the same MR version as is in use currently in the Finnish Army.[27]
  • RO 2006 - Euro-Spike anti-tank missiles. 18 launchers for ER version.
  • PSTOHJ 83 MA - BGM-71E, TOW 2A, tandem warhead version. In 2013 Finland bought additional missiles from Danish stocks.[28]
  • 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.
  • FN SCAR, being purchased in limited numbers (300–500) for the special forces[29]

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.
  • M134D-H Minigun, US-made, Gatling-type, multi-barreled 7.62x51 mm NATO calibre machine gun, produced by Dillon Aerospace. It is intended to be used by the Utti Jaeger Brigade as light armament on NH90 helicopters.[30]
  • 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:

  • 7.62 TKIV 85, sniper rifle made by Valmet, based on the Mosin-Nagant rifle.
  • 7.62 TKIV Dragunov, Russian-made Dragunov sniper rifle.
  • 8.6 TKIV 2000, sniper rifle manufactured by Sako.
  • 12.7 TKIV 2000 US-made .50 calibre Barrett M82A1 sniper rifle.
  • 12.7 TKIV 2000 US-made .50 calibre Barrett M95 sniper rifle.[31]

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+1-round magazine.[32]
  • 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 amount 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.[33]

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.[34][35] 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.[36]

Aircraft Type Versions In service[37] Notes
NHI NH90 Transport Helicopter NH90 TTH 20
MD Helicopters MD 500 Utility Helicopter MD 500D
MD 500E 		2
5[38]
RUAG Ranger Unmanned Reconnaissance 11
Aeronautics Defense Orbiter Unmanned Reconnaissance 55 to be delivered[39]

References

  1. ↑ "Finland in 200 million-euro used tank deal with the Netherlands". Yle Uutiset. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  2. ↑ "Annual Exchange of Information on Defence Planning 2014" (PDF). Retrieved 28 March 2015.
  3. ↑ "Suomi modernisoi noin 100 rynnäkköpanssarivaunua". Helsingin Sanomat. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
  4. ↑ "Maavoimat > Materiaalilaitos > Ajankohtaista "Puolustusvoimat hankkii miehistönkuljetusajoneuvoja"". Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  5. ↑ "Maavoimat osti 16 autoa: 7,7 milj. €". Uusi Suomi. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  6. ↑ Leon Engelbrecht. "BAE Systems wins new Finnish RG32M order". Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  7. ↑ "Tältä näyttävät puolustusvoimien uudet panssariajoneuvot". Uusi Suomi. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  8. ↑ "Finnish Army orders additional RG32M vehicles from BAE".
  9. ↑ "File:Toyota Hilux model 2009 Lippujuhlan päivä 2013 1.JPG". Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  10. ↑ "Maavoimat > Materiaalilaitos > Ajankohtaista "Puolustusvoimille telakuorma-autoja"". Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  11. ↑
  12. ↑ Blomberg, Olli (2006). "Puolustuksellistakin painoarvoa". Suomalaista Sisua vuodesta 1931 – Monialaosaajasta kuorma-autotehtaaksi (in Finnish). Karjaa: Oy Sisu Auto Ab. p. 304. ISBN 952-91-4918-2.
  13. ↑ "Puolustusvoimat". Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  14. ↑ "Puolustusvoimat". Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  15. ↑ "Puolustusvoimat". Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  16. ↑ "Puolustusvoimat". Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  17. ↑ "Stinger-patterin koulutus alkoi". Helsing Sanomat. 28 March 2015. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
  18. ↑ "Finland Updating Its Air Defense Systems". Defense Industry Daily. 26 January 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  19. ↑ Panssariseminaari 2009
  20. ↑ "HS: Finland to splurge 90 million on US Stinger missiles". Yle Uutiset. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  21. ↑ Raytheon Corporate Communications. "Raytheon". Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  22. ↑ "International Electronic Countermeasures Handbook". Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  23. ↑ "Tällaiset ovat Suomen uudet ilma-aseet". Uusi Suomi. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  24. ↑ "Government Buying Radar and Missile System worth over EUR 500 million". Yle Uutiset. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  25. ↑ "Puolustusvoimat > Ajankohtaista > Tiedotteet "Puolustusvoimat hankkii raketinheitinajoneuvoja Tanskasta"". Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  26. ↑ "Maavoimat > Materiaalilaitos > Ajankohtaista "Maavoimat hankkii kranaatinheitinajoneuvoja"". Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  27. ↑ "Maavoimat hankkii käytettyjä panssarintorjuntaohjusjärjestelmän ampumalaitteita Hollannista" (in Finnish). Finnish Defence Forces. 5 December 2013. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
  28. ↑ "UPN, Alm. del - 2013-14 - Bilag 221: Svar på spørgsmål vedr. det nordisk forsvarssamarbejde". Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  29. ↑ Armeija ostaa erikoisjoukoille Nato-yhteensopivat rynnäkkökiväärit. Helsingin Sanomat, 20 February 2015. Retrieved on 2015-02-22.
  30. ↑ "Puolustusvoimien uusi ase: M134D ”Minigun”". Uusi Suomi. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  31. ↑ http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/4373/108374267618127tkiv2000lu6.jpg www.mil.fi
  32. ↑ Ruotuväki: Puolustusvoimille uusia pistooleja Ruotuväki 03/09. Retrieved on 16-08-2009. Language: Finnish.
  33. ↑ "Ruotuväki". Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  34. ↑ "Ruotuväki". Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  35. ↑ "Defence Forces". Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  36. ↑ www.hs.fi/english 9 November 2007
  37. ↑ "World Military Aircraft Inventory", Aerospace Source Book 2007, Aviation Week & Space Technology, January 15, 2007.
  38. ↑ Mononen, Tomi (December 2009). "MD500-huoltokoulutushelikopteri tutkimus" (PDF). p. 79. Retrieved February 2, 2012.
  39. ↑ "Finland to Field Israeli Orbiter UAVs". Defense Industry Daily. 2 May 2012. Retrieved 24 December 2014.