Finland launches first Pohjanmaa-class corvette, strengthening baltic naval capabilities

On May 21, 2025, the Finnish Navy marked a significant milestone with the launch of its first Pohjanmaa-class corvette at the Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) shipyard. The event is part of the ambitious Squadron 2020 program, which aims to modernize Finland’s naval fleet and enhance its maritime defense posture in the Baltic Sea.

Representatives from the Finnish Defence Forces, the Navy, the Defence Forces Logistics Command, Saab, Lloyd’s Register, and RMC attended the ceremony, which highlighted the close cooperation between government and industry in developing the program.

The Pohjanmaa-class corvettes are designed for year-round operations in the challenging conditions of the Baltic Sea. Measuring 117 meters in length, 16 meters in beam, and displacing approximately 4,300 tons, they are the largest warships built for the Finnish Navy since the coastal defense ships Ilmarinen and Väinämöinen of the 1930s.

Equipped with state-of-the-art combat systems supplied by Saab, including Sea Giraffe 4A and 1X radars, the vessels will feature a robust weapons suite that includes Gabriel 5 anti-ship missiles, RIM-162 ESSM Block 2 surface-to-air missiles, naval mines, and Saab’s Torped 47 lightweight anti-submarine torpedoes.

Initiated in 2008 and formalized in 2015, the Squadron 2020 program is replacing seven aging vessels in the Finnish fleet. The €647.6 million construction contract with RMC was signed in September 2019. Construction of the second corvette began in October 2024, with the keel laid on May 8, 2025.

Sea trials of the first corvette are expected to begin in 2026, with commissioning scheduled for 2027. All four Pohjanmaa-class ships are slated for delivery by 2029, establishing them as the core surface combatants of the Finnish Navy for decades to come.