The second corvette in Finland's new Pohjanmaa class has now been launched in Rauma (southwestern Finland). All four vessels within the Finnish Squadron 2020 programme are therefore now under construction simultaneously, according to press releases from the Finnish Defence Forces and Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC).
The Pohjanmaa class project is progressing towards the goal of completing four vessels by 2029. The ships will be brought into service in stages.
"This is an important moment not only for the Navy but also for the Finnish maritime industry. It is gratifying that all four vessels are now under construction, two of which have already been launched," says Navy Commander Tuomas Tiilikainen in the press release.
"Although the project has been demanding and involved some minor delays, we have managed to keep relatively well to the schedule," Tiilikainen adds.
The Pohjanmaa class corvettes are designed for the varying conditions of the Baltic Sea and are being built by RMC and its subsidiary RMC Defence Oy.
"The corvettes are now in series production, and we represent the highest level of shipbuilding technology. At the same time, it must be said that systems integration and electrical work have been very challenging," says RMC's CEO Mika Nieminen in the company's press release.
The corvettes are designed to operate in the Baltic Sea, including under winter conditions with ice. The vessels are intended to form the backbone of the Finnish Navy's future operational capability and will be brought into service successively between 2027 and 2029.