Finland will strengthen its ground-based air defence with the purchase of Saab’s RBS 70 NG short-range missile system from Sweden under a procurement valued at €108 million, the Ministry of Defence has announced.
Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen authorised the Finnish Defence Forces to acquire the new systems from Saab Bofors Dynamics. The ministry said the purchase will expand the geographical coverage of Finland’s ground-based air defence network.
The RBS 70 NG is the latest version of the ITO05M mobile surface-to-air missile system, which has been in service with the Finnish Defence Forces for more than two decades. According to the ministry, the upgraded system will improve Finland’s ability to counter both manned aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles.
“We are developing Finland’s air defence system against a full range of threats. Safeguarding our preparedness requires appropriate and modern systems for each type of threat. This procurement is only one component of a larger package,” Häkkänen said in a statement.
The procurement covers missile ammunition, training equipment and a maintenance system in addition to the launch systems. The ministry said the capability is scheduled to become fully operational before the end of the 2020s.
Training for regular personnel, conscripts and reservists will take place mainly at the Salpausselkä Air Defence Battalion of the Karelia Brigade in Vekaranjärvi, Kouvola.
The purchase forms part of Finland’s wider programme to modernise its air defence following its accession to NATO. The government has continued to invest in military capabilities, with a focus on improving protection against a range of aerial threats, including drones.
The Ministry of Defence said the total value of the contract is €108 million, excluding value added tax.
HT