Finland Starts Building Fourth Pohjanmaa Corvette

3 hours ago

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Abone Ol

Finnish shipbuilder Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) has begun production on the fourth Pohjanmaa-class multi-purpose corvette for the Finnish Navy, bringing all four ships in the Squadron 2020 program under simultaneous construction.

The first ship was launched in May last year and is now in the outfitting phase.

Hull work on the second vessel is nearing completion, while the third and fourth have just entered the production sequence.

Under the Squadron 2020 program, the four corvettes will replace seven legacy vessels: four Rauma-class fast attack craft, two Hämeenmaa-class minelayers, and the previously retired Pohjanmaa minelayer.

At the Rauma shipyard, located on Finland’s southwest coast, “we have industrialized our procedures and construction processes to meet the requirements of our clients’ demanding projects. This is reflected in the progress we have made in the basic shipbuilding activities,” stated Mika Nieminen, CEO and President of RMC.

Moreover, the company noted that its shipyard is further strengthening operations through a US Coast Guard contract awarded at the end of 2025 for two icebreakers, with production scheduled to begin later this year and deliveries planned for 2028.

The multi-purpose Corvettes are built in a multi-purpose construction hall, from which the Corvettes are transferred via a heavy-load transfer ramp onto a launching barge. Photo: Rauma Marine Constructions

The Pohjanmaa-Class

The Pohjanmaa-class is designed for year-round operations in the Baltic Sea and will form the core of Finland’s future surface fleet.

Each vessel is about 117 meters (384 feet) long, 16 meters (52 feet) wide, has a crew of around 70, and can reach speeds of over 26 knots (48 kilometers/29 miles per hour).

Equipment includes Gabriel anti-ship missiles, Torped 47 lightweight torpedoes for anti-submarine warfare, and RIM-162 ESSM surface-to-air missiles for air defense.

For close-range protection, they carry a 57 mm gun, decoy launchers, and remotely operated weapons.

Sensors include a surveillance radar, fire-control radar, hull-mounted sonar, and a towed acoustic array for underwater detection.

The vessels use Saab’s 9LV combat management system to integrate sensors and weapons.

Abone Ol