Equipment of the Finnish Army

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

Armour

Finnish Leopard 2A4 at the Independence Day Parade.

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 - Originally 70 units,30 to 40 still remain in service.

Infantry Fighting Vehicles

• CV-9030 FIN - 102 units.
• BMP-2 - 110 units.

Armoured personnel carriers (tracked)

• BTR-50PK - 73 units. Will be scrapped.
• MT-LB - 367 units, plus some 41 "look-a-likes".^[1]
  • MT-LBu-P
  • MT-LBu-TP
  • MT-LBu-PS
  • MT-LBV

Armored personnel carriers (wheeled)

• Patria AMV - 62 units with Protector M151 remote weapon station.
• XA-180, XA-185 - originally 485 units, 60 have been sold to Estonia. The remaining vehicles are due to be upgraded.
• XA-203 - 148 units.
• RG32M - 22 units.

Engineer Vehicles

• Leopard 2L AVLB (6 vehicles)
• Leopard 2R CEV (6 vehicles)
• BLG-60M2 AVLB
• T-55M with KMT-5M CEV
• Sisu Leguan (9 vehicles)

Support vehicles

• VT-55A ARV
• JVBT-55A HARV
• KAM-1 ARV Experimental 1 unit
• KAM-2 ARV Experimental 1 unit

Air-defence

Anti-aircraft protection of important targets is provided by Crotale anti-aircraft missile systems mounted on Sisu Pasi armoured vehicles,^[2] ASRAD-R anti-aircraft missile system mounted on Unimog 5000 trucks and by Swiss Oerlikon 35 mm twin-barrel AA guns.^[3] Helsinki and other important targets are protected by the late-generation Soviet SAM missile system BUK M1 (SA-11).^[4] Close-range anti-aircraft support for troops is provided by 23 mm twin-barrel AA guns (Soviet-made ZU-23-2),^[5] shoulder-fired Igla-M missiles.^[6]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.^[7]

Anti-Aircraft Artillery

• 23 ITK 95 - Modernized Soviet 23 mm twin-barreled ZU-23-2 AA gun.
• 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).^[8] The deal is valued at over 500 million euros (of which 176 millions are costs for a new radar surveillance system).^[9]
• 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.

Mortars

Self Propelled Mortars

• XA 361 - 120 mm twin-barrel AMOS mortar on a Patria AMV platform. 18 units^[10].
• Krh-TeKa - 120 mm mortar on a SISU NA-140 BT platform. Designated Krh-TeKa (Kranaatinheitintelakuorma-auto). 27 units.

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 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

• 102 RSLPSTOHJ NLAW - Swedish-made NLAW anti-tank missiles, also called MBT LAW
• 112 RSKES APILAS - French Apilas disposable recoilless anti-tank weapon
• 66 KES 88 - M72A5 LAW, 70,000 pcs.
• 66 KES 75 - M72A2 LAW
• 95 S 58-61 - 95 mm recoilless rifle, about 1,000 units.

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.
  • FDF used to have also original Russian-made AK-47 (7.62 RK 54) and AKS-47 (7.62 RK 54 TP), but no longer in use.
• Heckler & Koch G36, operated by the border guards rapid response unit.

Machine guns:

• 7.62 KK 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 MG 3, German-made MG 3, light armament on Leopard 2 tanks and NH90 helicopters.
• 12.7 RSKK M2, American-made M2 Browning machine gun, found on the Patria AMV's Kongsberg weapon turrets.
• 12.7 ITKK NSV, 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 M82 sniper rifle.

Pistols & submachine guns:

• 9.00 PIST 2008, Glock 17 with specially made RTF2 checkering texture around the grip, 20 N (4.5 lb_f) trigger pull, self illuminating tritium sights and a 17+2 round magazine.^[11]
• 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 pumppuhaulikko Remington Police, 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.^{[citation needed]} 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.^[12]

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.^[13][14] 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.^[15]

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	In service[16]	Notes
NHI NH90	Europe	Transport Helicopter	NH90 TTH	12	20 to be delivered.
MD Helicopters MD 500	United States	Utility Helicopter	MD 500D MD 500E	2 5
RUAG Ranger	Switzerland	Unmanned Reconnaissance		11

References

1. ^ www.mil.fi
2. ^ Finnish Defence Forces equipment presentation
3. ^ Finnish Defence Forces equipment presentation
4. ^ Finnish Defence Forces equipment presentation
5. ^ Finnish Defence Forces equipment presentation
6. ^ Finnish Defence Forces equipment presentation
7. ^ Defence Industry Daily
8. ^ http://www.uusisuomi.fi/kotimaa/58481-tallaiset-ovat-suomen-uudet-ilma-aseet Uusi Suomi 29.4.2009
9. ^ YLE Government Buying Radar and Missile System worth over EUR 500 million
10. ^ www.mil.fi
11. ^ Ruotuväki: Puolustusvoimille uusia pistooleja Ruotuväki 03/09. Retrieved on 16-08-2009. Language: Finnish.
12. ^ Finnish Army press release
13. ^ Ruotuväki: Utin kopterit korjaukseen?
14. ^ www.mil.fi: Mi8-helikoptereille lisää lentotunteja
15. ^ www.hs.fi/english 9 November 2007
16. ^ "World Military Aircraft Inventory", Aerospace Source Book 2007, Aviation Week & Space Technology, January 15, 2007.