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Merivoimat - Navy - Organization

The Navy is made up of the Navy Staff and four troops under the command of the Navy. The Coast Fleet includes all naval forces, the Coast Brigade and the Swedish-speaking Uusimaa Coast Brigade. The Naval School trains cadets, conscripts and personnel. In addition, the school is responsible for naval research. The naval bases are located in Turku, Kirkkonummi, Raseborg and Helsinki. The Navy is an independent branch of defense, employing some 1,400 people. Around 3,200 troops are trained each year, and about 1,700 reservists are trained.

The service of all Coast Navy officers begins at the Coast Brigade in Upinniemi during the rookie period, during which branch selection is made. After the rookie period, they move on to the education branch at Pansio, Turku. The actual fleet training takes place on board ships at both Coastal Navy bases: Pansio and Upinniemi. The Naval Officer Course opens the way for conscripts from crew to missionary duties. The route of the reserve officers continues to the Naval School in Suomenlinna.

After the rookie period, service will continue in either the Coast or Fleet Forces training period. The Navy will move to the Coastal Navy at Pansio in Turku, where they will be trained on issues common to all Navy units. The training of the coastal troops will continue in Upinniemi. For example, all of those prescribed in the Service Weapons will be transferred to a Service Company, which will, over a period of six weeks, train the service and training common to the service, supplement, maintenance, and medical branch. At the end of the training period, selections are made for a non-commissioned officer course based on mass production duties and success in service.

The Naval Staff prepares, plans and implements the Naval Command's significant matters of the Naval Command and allocates resources in accordance with the Naval Commander's guidelines. The headquarters coordinates naval co-operation with the General Staff and its subordinate institutions, the Armed Forces, the Air Force, the National Defense College, the Border Guard and various authorities, as well as international co-operation of the naval forces to achieve military defense goals. The Navy Headquarters is the authority responsible for issuing and permitting matters, as mentioned in the Regional Surveillance Law and regulations issued under it.

As the defense branch headquarters, the Navy directs the training and vessel operations of the conscripts in accordance with the Standby and Mass Production Requirements, and leads the planning, implementation and life cycle management of projects under the Marine Defense Development Program and major defense procurement. The Finnish Naval Staff manages Finnish troops and units in international maritime crisis management operations.

The Coast Fleet includes all naval warships. This contingency unit operates in continuous readiness throughout the Finnish sea areas. Our main tasks are: safeguarding territorial integrity; protection of maritime transport; and combating maritime attacks. It trains personnel, conscripts and reservists. When required, it provides maritime assistance and participate in international crisis management tasks. The bases are located in Turku and Kirkkonummi.

In addition to the headquarters, the fleet consists of four fleets, all of which are trained for their own personnel, conscripts and reservists. The headquarters consists of the Operations Department and the Human Resources and Maintenance Department. Located in Pansio.

• 4. The Katanpää-class anti-mine ships of the Mine Action Squad represent the latest dimension of mine research with their state-of-the-art technology. The squadron also includes Kuha and Kiiski-class awakeners. Based in Pansio.
• 6. The surface combat squadron is made up of Rauma-class missile boats, the Hämeenmaa-class minesweeper Uusimaa and the mine board Pansio. Based in Pansio.
• 7. The surface combat squadron includes Hamina-class missile boats, Hämeenmaa-class minesweeper Hämeenmaa, and minesweepers Porkkala and Pyhäranta. Based in Upinniemi.
• 8. The service squadron includes oil spill vessels, transport vessels and military police, vehicles and drivers involved in guarding and servicing the Turku garrison. The service squadron operates in Turku and Kirkkonummi.

The Coastal Fleet Provincial troops include the Department for Weather and the Shelter Company. The clearing division operating on Kuha and Kiiski class ships cooperates with the 4th Anti-Mine Fleet. The security company focuses mainly on security and security tasks, and its training is supported by the 8th Maintenance Squadron.

The Coast Fleet is a naval readiness team. It maintains a high level of readiness to safeguard regional integrity, protect maritime traffic and combat maritime invasions, and train wartime troops for the Navy. The maritime performance of the coastal fleet can be used to support other authorities and international crisis management tasks.

The Coastal Fleet focuses on the construction, maintenance and operation of naval units and offshore operations. The core activities of the fleet are mobile surveillance and protection of territorial integrity, offshore fire, anti-personnel mining and maritime maintenance.

The Coast Fleet differs from other armed forces readiness teams in that it has more paid personnel than military personnel. Measured in terms of personnel, the Coast Fleet is the largest unit of the Navy. The high proportion of professional soldiers is due to the technicality and versatility of modern battleships, which require a great deal of time for personnel to learn. Without conscripts, however, one cannot survive. There is a clear need and place for every naval soldier, both in normal and exceptional circumstances.

The Coast Brigade is a Marine Corps specializing in coastal combat. The Coast Brigade's training force is approximately 1,100. The brigade employs just over 300 people in military and civilian positions. Approximately 1,000 conscripts begin service with the Coast Brigade in July. After eight weeks of infantry service, conscript training positions will be determined based on the Coastal Brigade's mass production duties, standby duty, and the service and personal suitability of a conscript.

Most Finnish-speaking recruits in the Navy begin military service during their basic training in Upinniemi, Kirkkonummi, and some in Turku Pansio. The Coast Brigade is responsible for monitoring the integrity of the area and the sea situation in the Gulf of Finland 24 hours a day. It trains a diverse and high-performing team from pioneers to divers as well as marine watchdogs to marine intelligence. The Coast Brigade produces a continuous marine picture and monitors the territorial integrity of the entire Gulf of Finland. It works closely with other defense branches and the Border Guard.

The Coast Brigade [Rannikkoprikaatista] is one of the newest units of the Finnish Defense Forces. The Coast Brigade annually trains about 2,000 conscripts, 30 to 40 of whom are volunteers. The Brigade is known for motivated and competent staff, high level of comfort in the work community and high quality education. At the turn of the year 2014 - 15, with the reform of the Defense Forces, the coastal and naval forces were separated into their own divisions. On January 1, 2015, the Coast Brigade was formed in Upinniemi as battleships transferred to the Coast Fleet.

In addition to the headquarters, there are three troop units:

1. The Brigade staff consists of the Operations Department, the Human Resources Department and the Maintenance Department. In addition to the basic and non-military training of conscripts, the traditional tasks of the Suomenlinna Coast Regiment include the development of surface combat. The Coastal Regiment consists of five units: an anti-missile battery, a messenger company, a radiator, a naval company and a non-commissioned officer school.

2. The Porkkala Coast Battalion is responsible for the mass production of the brigade, the maintenance of the base and the troops and the guarding of the sites. In addition, the battalion's tasks include a variety of land and sea transports and material storage. The battalion consists of four units: maintenance, transportation and military police companies, and a material center.

3. The units of the Marine Intelligence Battalion include a diving school, a marine intelligence company and a special operations department. The principal functions of the Marine Intelligence Company are intelligence, surveillance and fire command. The Diving School trains all Defense Forces divers and the Special Activities Department trains soldiers for special tasks in the Defense Forces.

The Nyland Brigade maintains readiness and training for modern and high-performing Coastal Armed Forces for maritime defense. Training in the archipelago is demanding, but the country's lowest exit rate and troop accomplishments reflect the good training and spirit of the troop. The Uusimaa Brigade is Finland's only Swedish-language unit. The language of instruction is Swedish, the command language is Finnish.

The force cooperates closely with other naval forces, the Army and the Border Guard. The brigade of the Uusimaa Brigade is operating along the coast and in the archipelago. The Nyland Brigade exercises its reserve, serving in key roles during the war. A knowledgeable reserve guarantees the performance and will to continue to defend the coasts. The Uusimaa Brigade and the Pori Brigade are the last provincial troops established by King Gustav II Adolf in Finland in 1626.

The Naval Academy graduates naval cadets as naval officers, basic personnel as non-commissioned officers, and conscripts as naval reserve officers. Most naval research is also done at the Naval School. In addition to the cadets, non-commissioned officers and reserve officer students, it conducts continuing education for staff and reservists. As part of the 2015 Defense Forces reform, a reorganization of the Navy's research and development activities was carried out, when the Naval Research Institute was disbanded and the Research Center established was replaced by the Naval Academy, alongside the Marine Corps.

The main aim of the change was to integrate more closely the study of the operational principles of naval performance and the research of technical and natural sciences. At the same time, we will increase the quality and effectiveness of our R&D activities, improve the operational capability of the Naval Research School's R&D organization, and safeguard its operating conditions in exceptional circumstances. The main research areas of the new Marine Combat Center are underwater warfare, surface warfare, air defense, amphibious missions and warship technology.

In 2012–2015, the Defense Forces renewed their operations. The core objective was to ensure that the Armed Forces have the capacity to fulfill their mission and to maintain Finland's military defense capability at an appropriate level until the 2020s. The change covers the structures and methods of operation of the Armed Forces during war and peace.

On July 4, 2013, Defense Minister Carl Haglund made administrative decisions in line with previous policies to complete the military reform launched in 2012. The decisions are a continuation of the implementation of the Defense Forces reform outlined by the President of the Republic and the Cabinet Committee on Foreign and Security Policy on 8 February 2012. Decisions of the Ministry of Defense regarding the implementation of the first phase were made in the summer of 2012. These decisions concern those reorganisations that have required legislative changes. The related amendments to the law were approved by Parliament in June and approved by the President of the Republic. The basic aim of the Defense Forces reform is to ensure that the Armed Forces have the capacity to fulfill their mission and to maintain Finland's military defense capability for the 2020s. The solutions are aimed at long-term effectiveness. The existing naval forces will be concentrated in the coastal fleet to be established on 1 January 2015 in Turku (Pansio) and the coastal forces in the coastal brigade to be established on 1 January 2015 in Kirkkonummi (Upinniemi). The reorganization will allow efficient and flexible use of resources, as well as centralized readiness and exercise activities. The Navy previously consisted of the Navy Command (located in Turku) and six brigade-level units and establishments.

• Missile and Mine Warfare Squadrons and coastal units are located in Archipelago Sea Naval Command (Turku) and
• the Gulf of Finland Naval Command (Kirkkonummi, Helsinki, Kotka).
• Alongside of the Naval Commands, the only brigade-level unit of the Defence Forces offering military training in Swedish, the Nyland Brigade, focuses on training coastal units (Raasepori).
• Naval cadets and the future reserve officers and the non-commisioned officers of the Navy are trained in the Naval Academy (Helsinki).
• The Naval Research Institute specialises in underwater military research supporting the development of the Navy and in testing the newest technology used in the Navy (Espoo).
• The Naval Materiel Command is responsible for the logistics and maintenance of the Navy's special materiel (Turku).

As of 1988, active naval personnel numbered only 2,700, of whom 1,300 were conscripts. As of 2013 total of about 2,100 officers, officer specialists and warrant officers, military personnel and civilians worked in the Navy. Duties vary from captain of a ship to engineers and from conscript instructors to lawyers. Every year close to 3 900 conscripts, of which approximately 30 are women volunteers, do their military service in the Navy. about 3 400 reservists are trained yearly in the refresher courses of the Navy.