The Finnish Navy will establish a new unmanned systems company within the Coastal Brigade at Upinniemi (Obbnäs) in early 2027. The unit will operate unmanned systems across maritime, aerial and land environments, with conscript training scheduled to begin gradually during the year.
According to a press release from the Finnish Navy dated 5 November, the company will train conscripts, professional personnel and reservists while also participating in operational missions.
The new unit will support the development and deployment of unmanned systems in the northern Baltic Sea, including coastal waters and archipelago environments. It will cooperate with other branches of the Finnish Defence Forces, industry and international partners.
– The Navy’s objective is to integrate unmanned systems into maritime defence, either through dedicated unmanned units or by assigning acquired systems to operational units, such as warships or reconnaissance troops, says Rear Admiral Tuomas Tiilikainen, Commander of the Finnish Navy, in the statement.
The Navy expects unmanned systems to complement existing crewed platforms and reduce personnel requirements for certain tasks.
Finnish defence company Patria is among the industrial partners involved in developing unmanned capabilities for the Coastal Brigade. The Navy demonstrated several unmanned systems during a joint event with industry representatives at Upinniemi on 5 November.
