Finnish Ministry of Defence Takes Decision on Army Air-Defence System Procurement

Finnish Minister of Defence Carl Haglund made a decision  on the procurement of a very short-range air-defence system for the Army. The procurement deal will be concluded with the US Government and the system will be delivered by Raytheon Company. The total value of the procurement is €90m, VAT excluded.

The procurement includes newly restored Stinger RMP Block 1 missiles, firing equipment, infrared seekers and training equipment, i.e. field training exercise equipment and classroom simulators. The procurement also includes all necessary training, support materiel, spare parts, the documentation required for use and maintenance, user and quality assurance services as well as maintenance control and life-cycle management.

Deliveries of the system will take place between 2014 and 2017. The procurement is part of a larger very short-range air-defence project that will contribute to the overall development of the Defence Forces’ air defence capability. The project was started in 2009 and is included in the Defence Forces’ budgetary framework.

The Very Short-Range Air-Defence system will be part of the ground-based defence and air defence system of territorial troops and strategic targets. The training of very short-range air-defence units will begin in Karelia Brigade in 2015.

The procurement will partly replace the over 50-year-old anti-aircraft capability of ground-based air defence units.