New Finnish corvettes to bolster Baltic defense against Russia
For years, both Sweden and Finland avoided the use of larger ships. However, in response to the Russian threat, these new NATO members decided to build corvettes—the Lulea type for Sweden and Pohjanmaa type for Finland. The hull of the first Finnish Pohjanmaa-class corvette has already been constructed.
The hull was showcased during a visit by former Finnish President Sauli Niinistö. At the RMC Defence shipyard on the Gulf of Bothnia, the project progressed at an impressive pace. According to calculations by Milmag, sheet cutting began on October 30, 2023, the keel was laid on April 11, 2024, and the hull was completed by the end of last year.
Currently, finishing and outfitting work is underway, with the launch scheduled for spring 2025. The first of the four ships is expected to enter service in 2027.
Pohjanmaa type - new Finnish missile corvettes
The Pohjanmaa-class ships under construction in Finland are large missile corvettes, measuring 384 feet in length and with a displacement of up to 4,700 tons. They are designed to enable year-round service in the Baltic Sea, regardless of weather conditions.
Given the conditions in the northern Baltic Sea and the Archipelago Sea (the area between Finland and the Åland Islands), their hulls have been reinforced to the Ice Class 1A standard. This allows them to break through ice up to 31 inches thick.
The ships' primary armament will be Israeli Gabriel 5 ANAM (Advanced Naval Attack Missile) missiles. Finland has also selected these missiles for its coastal, land-based launchers.
Pohjanmaa-class corvettes - armament
The Gabriel 5 measures over 18 feet in length and weighs 2,750 pounds. A key feature of the missile is its modern warhead equipped with active radar, similar to the Swedish RBS15 missiles that weigh half as much.
This Israeli missile is optimized to operate under conditions of strong interference and electronic countermeasures by the enemy, and it can independently search for targets, including those made with stealth technology.
In addition to anti-ship missiles, the Pohjanmaa-class corvettes will be armed with 2.24-inch caliber naval guns and an 8-cell Mk 41 VLS carrying 32 RIM-162 ESSM anti-aircraft missiles.
