Finnish Navy's Hamina-class Modernisation and Mid-life Upgrade Project Reached Final Approval

December 13, 2023

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The Finnish Navy’s Hamina-Class vessels´ modernisation and Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) project has reached final approval. The Finnish Defence Forces and Patria signed a contract for the modernization and mid-life upgrade of four vessels in 2018. In the project Patria has been acting as the prime contractor, designer, and the lead system integrator.

The modernisation and mid-life upgrade provided new capabilities for the Finnish Navy to counter maritime threats, repelling attacks at sea, protecting sea lines of communication, and monitoring and securing territorial integrity. With the new torpedo and surface-to-surface missile system, as well as upgrades to the surface-to-air missile system, the vessels are capable of impact to the air, surface and underwater. As part of the new capabilities, Patria supplied the new UUV (Un-manned Underwater Vehicle) based innovative training target system, which enables anti-submarine warfare training in a flexible and the most cost-effective way.

“Due to the changed security situation, it is important now and in the future that the domestic industry has crucial know-how related to the critical systems and technologies of national defence. Finland should be proud as it has maintained its capabilities even in times when many European countries were neglecting the development of their defence capabilities and materiel procurements”, says Esa Rautalinko, Patria’s President and CEO.

“The MLU project further strengthens Patria's position as a leading system integrator in the Finnish defence industry and as an expert in various areas of lifecycle management. The mid-life upgrade has also had a significant impact on employment in the country - around 300 person-years of work", comments Jussi Järvinen, EVP of Patria Finland Division.  

Patria delivered the first vessel, Tornio, to the Finnish Navy in 2020 and the fourth and last modernized vessel, Pori, in 2022. After the deliveries, sea acceptance tests have been made for the vessels. Along with the future Pohjanmaa-Class corvettes, the Hamina-Class vessels constructs the core of the Finnish Navy's naval operational capability in the 2030s.

Source : Patria