The Finnish Army (Finnish: Maavoimat) is one of the braches of the Finnish Defence Forces.

The Army is further divided into six branches:

Table of contents
1 Organisation
2 Equipment
3 Tables of Organization and Equipment

Organisation

The Army is organised into three commands: western, eastern and northern. The commands are responsible for the defence and planning in their areas. The commands are further divided into twelve military provinces which are responsible for conscription, mustering of troops in wartime, organizing the local defence and aiding the voluntary defence organizations.

Western Command

Guard Jaeger Regiment (Helsinki)
Helsinki Air Defence Regiment (Hyrylä)
Armoured Brigade (Parola)
Häme Regiment (Lahti)
Signals Regiment (Riihimäki)
Pori Brigade (Säkylä)
Artillery Brigade (Niinisalo)
Central Finland Regiment (Keuruu)

Eastern Command
Karelia Brigade (Vekaranjärvi)
Reserve Officer School (Hamina)
Savo Brigade (Mikkeli)
North Karelia Brigade (Joensuu)

Northern Command
Kainuu Brigade (Kajaani)
Jaeger Brigade (Sodankylä)
Lapland Air Defence Regiment (Rovaniemi)

The Utti Jaeger Regiment which trains Airborne Jaegers is directly under the Defence Staff. Since 1998 the Uusimaa Brigade is part of the Finnish Navy.

Equipment

Armour

Also in use are different models of the Patria Sisu XA-series (Sisu XA-185). BMP-1 assault tanks are used by the armoured jaeger companies and BMP-2s are used by armoured recon and armoured anti-tank companies. New Swedish Combat Vehicle 90s have been ordered for the Readiness brigades.

Air-defence

Protection of important targets are handled by Crotale AA missile systems mounted on Sisu XA-180 armoured vehicles. Helsinki and other important targets are protected by late-generation Russian AA missile system BUK M1 (SA-11). Close-range AA support for troops is provided by 23 mm twin-barrel AA cannons and shoulder-fired Igla missiles.

Artillery

Brigades are equipped with 152 mm howitzers. Army corps are supported by 155 mm field cannons and 122 mm multiple rocket launchers. Armoured brigades are equipped with Soviet produced armoured howitzers (122mm 2S1 and 152mm 2S5). Brigades are also equipped with 81mm and 120mm mortars.

Anti-tank weapons

  • TOW 2 (Pst-ohj 83M)
  • Konkurs (Pst-ohj 82)
  • APILAS (112 RsKes)

Infantry weapons

Helicopters

Soviet produced Mi-8 helicopters are used by the army for transport, hoisting and rescue services.

Tables of Organization and Equipment

In wartime, the army is composed of Jaeger, Infantry and Armoured Brigades. Jaeger and infantry brigades are similar, except that infantry brigades are equipped with older materiel. Three of the Jaeger brigades are special Readiness brigades with rapid reaction capability. They are lighter, more mobile and more heavily armed than the ordinary jaeger brigades, and have a higher proportion of regular to reservist personnel; there is one readiness brigade for each of Finland's 3 territorial commands.

  • 3 Readiness brigades (Brigade 2005)
  • 6 Jaeger brigades (Brigade 90)
  • 2 Armoured brigades
  • 11 Infantry brigades (Brigade 80)
  • Local defence units

Jaeger Brigade

  • 4 jaeger battalions
  • anti-tank missile company
  • HQ company
  • reconnaisance company
  • field artillery regiment
  • anti-aircraft battalion
  • signal company
  • logistic company
  • engineer battalion

Total strength about 5300 men and 900 vehicles.

Materiel

Armoured Brigade

  • 3 armoured battalions
  • anti-tank missile company
  • armoured reconnaisance company
  • field artillery regiment
  • anti-aircraft battalion
  • signal battalion
  • logistic battalion
  • engineer battalion

Total strength about 5700 men.

Materiel