• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Keihässalmi Minesweeper

The mine ship Keihässalmi [Miinalaiva Keihässalmi] was built in Helsinki in 1957. The ship's design was based on mine ships built in Turku during World War II. Keihässalmi was first and foremost a minesweeper and a demolitionist, but it also tested different weapon systems. In 1975, a new weapon with fire control radar was installed in Keihässalmi. The ship was renovated in 1980-81, when its seaworthiness was improved by the addition of ballast, and the front of the mine deck was made watertight by closing the openings in the flanks.

The acquisition of Keihässalmi was based on a basic procurement plan approved by the Commander of the Defense Forces on 11 February 1955. As part of the plan, the Navy had to acquire one Swedish-style mine ship to replace the mine ship Riilahti lost in the war. An order for Keihässalmi was made with basic supplies in 1955–1956. Because the ship did not want to be named after the ship lost in the war, it was named after Keihässalmi between Pyhtäänsaari and Munapirtti.

The ship was bigger, stronger built, more seaworthy and faster than the model, the mine ship Ruotsinsalmi. Keihässalmi was explicitly built to lay out and clear mines, but was equipped with all the weapons systems used by the naval forces at that time, with the exception of torpedoes. Up until the beginning of the 1960s, Keihässalmi was the largest combat vessel of the naval forces. This meant that many experiments were carried out on board the ship. Among other things, a 75 mm cannon was installed, since the naval forces did not have actual artillery ships.

From 1975 to 1981, Keihässalmi underwent a thorough repair and was equipped with the current equipment, fire control radar and equipment. The seaworthiness of the vessel was improved with pressurized water tanks, and the front part of the mine deck was waterproofed by closing the openings in the side. The ship was equipped with a search and tactical radar that operated on the X-band.

Keihässalmi made its first post-war naval visits to Sweden and the Soviet Union in the early 1960s. Keihässalmi served as the flagship of the Navy's General Forces, and was also a member of many representative missions, and made fleet visits to Sweden and the Soviet Union in 1960 and 1961. In 1970, Keihässalmi visited Ystad, Sweden, and Lysekil in 1978. During his time as the Naval War School's ship in the years 1975–1979, Keihässalmi visited the Nordic marina cadets, Ystad in Sweden in 1970 and Lysekil in 1978. It served as the school ship of the Naval School from 1975 to 1979, when the school ship Matti Kurje was succeeded.

The minihacht Keihässalmi became a museum vessel in 1994, when it had served. The vessel is owned by the War Museum and the Forum Marinum Foundation is responsible for its maintenance.