History Finnish Navy

1 history

1.1 independent finland
1.2 world war ii

1.2.1 winter war
1.2.2 continuation war
1.2.3 lapland war


1.3 cold war era
1.4 current status
1.5 future vessels

history

during swedish era, finnish gulf saw many battles between swedish , russian fleets. many of swedish naval bases located in present-day finland , many sailors came finland (see archipelago fleet).

finnish naval jack

during russian rule (1809–1917) entirely finnish navy unit, named suomen meriekipaasi defending finnish coast, alongside baltic fleet of imperial russian navy. meriekipaasi participated in crimean war, albeit on-shore duties. meriekipaasi manned coastal batteries @ santahamina island during siege of fortress viapori in helsinki. ships meriekipaasi operated included steam frigates rurik , kalevala, named after finnish national epic. these ships later served in russian pacific fleet).

independent finland

the first ships independent finnish navy obtained mix of obsolete vessels left behind russians during finnish civil war , vessels, had not been able make winter voyage kronstadt russian navy retreated german forces. thus, finnish navy of late 1910s , 1920s consisted of gunboats (klas horn, matti kurki, turunmaa, , karjala), 6 s-class torpedo boats, 8 c-class torpedo boats, 1 minelayer (louhi), several minesweepers, , 5 t-class minelaying boats. in addition warships, russians left behind numerous other types of vessels.

additionally, germans handed on 2 netlayers (hämeenmaa , uusimaa) finnish navy, , these 2 ships formed core of finnish navy until coastal defense ships commissioned. treaty of tartu, finland had return of equipment had operated earlier. equipment included 3 s-class torpedo boats (s3, s4 , s6), minesweepers altair, mikula, mp 7, mp 11, ahvola, t 12, fifteen tugs, 4 smaller transports , 54 motorboats. finland lost 3 more ships (the torpedo boats c 1, c2 , c3) in supporting british operations against soviets in baltic sea. 3 vessels ordered stay until sea froze over, , damaged beyond repair ice. last remaining c-class torpedo boats placed in reserve after incident.

in 1927, after years of wrangling various plans how modernize navy, , partly due loss of torpedo boat s2 in heavy seas in october 1925, parliament of finland approved plan build 2 coastal defence ships (panssarilaiva in finnish), 4 submarines. motor torpedo boats acquired both britain, domestic sources. new minesweepers constructed. training ship suomen joutsen acquired.

world war ii

the strength of finnish navy @ beginning of world war ii limited. of planned ships had not yet been constructed , wartime constraints on economy prolonged ship building times.

the finnish navy operated following vessels in baltic sea:

two coastal defence ships (ilmarinen , väinämöinen)
five submarines (vesihiisi, iku-turso, vetehinen, vesikko , saukko)
four gunboats (turunmaa, karjala, uusimaa , hämeenmaa)
seven motor torpedo boats (two sisu-class, 1 isku-class, 4 syöksy-class)
one minelayer (louhi)
eight minesweepers (six ahven-class, 2 rautu-class)
one training ship suomen joutsen

on lake ladoga, finns operated:

one icebreaker (aallokas)
one gunboat (aunus)
one minelayer (yrjö)
one tug (vakava)
two motor boats (s 1 , n. k. af klercker)

the navy had several auxiliary warships, ice-breakers , patrol boats coast guard.

coastal defence ship väinämöinen in 1938


winter war

when winter war broke out finnish navy moved occupy de-militarized Åland islands , protect merchant shipping. in first month of war, battles between soviet ships , finnish coastal batteries fought @ hanko, finland, utö , koivisto. @ koivisto , hanko, batteries forced soviet battleships retire damage. finnish efforts use submarines (vesikko , saukko) sink soviet capital ships failed. in december 1939 ice became thick ice-breakers still move. 2 coastal defence ships moved harbour in turku used strengthen air-defences of city. remained there rest of war.

continuation war

before continuation war 5 more torpedo boats ordered italy. base soviets had acquired after winter war @ hanko peninsula divided areas finnish navy operate in two. included coastal artillery positions @ russarö , osmussaar, guarded minefields blocking entrance eastern gulf of finland. large mine fields laid down in cooperation german kriegsmarine when war began. coastal defence ships bombarded soviet base @ hanko until soviets evacuated hanko in december 1941.

between 1941 , 1945 69,779 mines , mine sweeping obstacles laid in gulf of finland finnish, soviet , german naval forces. soviet navy laid 16,179 mines , 2,441 mine sweeping obstacles, finnish navy 6,382 mines, , german navy s vessels, submarines , aircraft laid 45,000 mines, of 3,000 magnetic mines. last mine sweeping season held in 1957, mine danger continued 10 more years, , there still hundreds of world war ii-era mines in baltic sea. greatest loss of finnish navy occurred on september 13, 1941 when ilmarinen ran mine , sank. 271 sailors lost lives , 132 rescued. of survivors later served in lake onega flotilla, using old captured ships, including steam engined paddlewheeler.

in 1942 main focus of war @ sea on anti-submarine warfare. finnish , german naval forces tried prevent soviet submarines gaining access baltic sea. however, mine barrier had proven insufficient stop soviet submarines activities. soviet subs sank 18 ships, 7 of finnish. 12 soviet submarines sunk - 3 finnish submarines. next step in submarine warfare block gulf of finland anti-submarine nets between naissaar , porkkala. done after ice cover melted on sea. barrier accompanying minefields contained soviet naval vessels eastern part of gulf of finland until autumn of 1944, when soviets able use finnish coastal seaways circumvent barrier.

in spring 1942 finnish forces captured island of gogland. in july 1942 soviets made attempt occupy small island of sommers in gulf of finland. soviets lost several smaller vessels (patrol , torpedo boats) 128 men. one-hundred , 2 soviet soldiers taken prisoner. during 1943 navy received 14 new torpedo boats used replace old pre-war ones.

in 1944 soviets launched major offensive against finland, during navy fought in support of finnish land forces gulf of vyborg. in end ships forced pull out.

finnish vetehinen-class submarines


lapland war

in september 1944, military operations against germany started. main focus in north, lapland war, germans tried capture suursaari in operation named tanne ost. attack repulsed. during battle, finnish motor torpedo boats sank several german vessels.

the last action of finnish navy during amphibious landing of troops oulu in tornio. finnish gunboats shelled german batteries, had posed serious threat transport ships, while anti-aircraft batteries defended convoy german air attacks. navy hunted german u-boats in baltic, laying last mines of war while doing this.

after finnish-soviet armistice, finnish navy ordered participate in demanding mine clearance operation. operation lasted until 1950. there many casualties among clearance crews.

the cold war era

100 56 tk in kuivasaari island in 2009

the war time fleet replaced in 1950s , 1960s. due finland s neutrality tried balance purchases of equipment between 2 blocs , tried produce own vessels. bay class frigate (matti kurki), 2 dark class fast patrol boats (vasama 1 , vasama 2) , 4 byms class minesweepers bought uk, 2 riga class frigates (hämeenmaa , uusimaa) , 4 osa ii class fast attack craft (tuima class missile boats) obtained soviet union. of vessels, such 2 turunmaa class gunboats (turunmaa , karjala) , nuoli class fast attack craft produced domestically.

the paris peace talks in 1947 resulted in treaty limited offensive capability of finnish military. navy, meant limitation fleet of no more 10,000 tons , 4,500 men. weaponry, torpedoes, submarines, mines , missiles forbidden. restrictions eased in 1960s , missiles , mines allowed. torpedo restriction not either exercised riga class frigates equipped torpedoes , number of torpedo boats manufactured gunboats converted carry torpedoes.

the cold-war limitations no longer in place (they nullified breakup of soviet union), size of navy still same.

current status

in late 1990s, finnish navy developing new missile squadron called laivue 2000 (english: squadron 2000). @ first supposed consist of 2 hamina class missile boats (already built @ date) , 4 tuuli class hovercraft. navy experimented 1 prototype hovercraft, announced in 2003 tuuli class not enter active operations , no more of them built. instead 2 new hamina class missile boats built, , weaponry hovercraft installed on hämeenmaa class minelayers.

the cable layer putsaari , pollution control vessel hylje replaced in 2011 new multipurpose vessel built uudenkaupungin työvene shipyard. new icebreaking oil spill response vessel named louhi on 8 march 2011.

the 1979-built minelayer pohjanmaa scheduled decommissioning in 2013, expected remain in service until 2015. in october 2013, minelayer hämeenmaa took on role of flagship of finnish navy.

in february 2015, reported fatigue damage had been discovered in hulls of refitted rauma-class missile boats , vessels removed active duty prevent further damage until cause has been found. however, while peace-time use limited, missile boats can taken full service if needed.

future vessels

as squadron 2000 finished, navy has shifted attention mine prevention , replace old kuha- , kiiski-class minesweepers 3 katanpää-class mine countermeasure vessels, known mcmv 2010 , mito classes.

in october 2012, finnish navy signed 34 million euro contract 12 fast transport boats option more vessels marine alutech, finnish company has built uisko- , jurmo-class transport boats. 19-metre (62 ft) jehu transport boats can carry 25 troops , have maximum speed in excess of 40 knots (74 km/h; 46 mph). defensive capability provided remotely controlled turret capable of providing fire support during landing operation. new class of landing craft has been named jehu class.

the next generation surface combatant, going bigger current missile boats , more capable international co-operation, in pre-development stage. new class of multi-purpose naval vessels, referred monitoimialus 2020 ( multi-purpose vessel 2020 ) or laivue 2020 ( squadron 2020 ) in preliminary papers, intended replace hämeenmaa- , pohjanmaa-class minelayers , rauma-class missile boats retired. goal replace 7 vessels 4 new corvette-sized surface combatants. in september 2015, finnish minister of defence jussi niinistö officially authorized finnish navy start developing squadron 2020 , official request information (rfi) sent shipyards in december. finnish defence forces rauma marine constructions sign letter of intent construction of 4 vessels under program squadron 2020 on 14 september 2016. design stage planned continue until 2018 , vessels built in 2019–2024. projected cost of 4 vessels lifespan of @ least 35 years 1.2 billion euro. new vessels called pohjanmaa class.