Helsinki-class missile boat

Basic information

Type:

Small warship

Operators:

Croatian Navy

Finnish Navy

Country of build:

Finland

Builder:

Wärtsilä Marine

Planned:

Completed:

In service:

1981 – present (43 years)

Ship measurements

Displacement:

300 t

Length:

45 m

Beam:

8.9 m

Draft:

3 m

Machine

Propulsion system:

CODLAD (CODELAD)

Propulsion:

3 * MTU 16V 538 TB92
9,000 kW (combined)
3 * shafts

Speed:

32 knots

Personnel

Complement:

Combat assets

Electronics:

Philips 9LV 225 fire control radar
Saab EOS400 optical director
9GA 208 Surface search radar
Raytheon ARPA Navigation radar
Simrad SS304 hull mounted sonar
Finnyards Sonac/PTA towed array sonar
Philax chaff and IR flairs
ESM: Argo Systems radar warning system
6 * 103 mm rails for rocket illuminants

Armament:

1 * Bofors 57 mm/70 Mk1
2 * Sako twin-barreled 23 mm/87 (modified ZU-23-2)
8 * Saab RBS-15 SSM
2 * rails for depth charges

Helsinki-class missile boat is a class of four fast attack craft built for the Finnish Navy. All the ships were constructed at the Wärtsilä Helsinki Shipyard, Finland, and had Pansio as their homeport.

The vessels were designed as fast attack crafts, but designated «missile boats» in the Finnish Navy, as to tone down their offensive capabilities. They were armed with up to eight RBS-15 SSMs, one dual-purpose Bofors 57 mm gun, two SAKO 23 mm double-barreled anti-aircraft guns and two depth charge racks.

During the late 1990s, the class was due to undergo a mid-life upgrade through 2006–2008 but this was rejected because of budget constraints. The ships were decommissioned from Finnish service, and Helsinki and Turku were used for testing purposes before they were scrapped in 2011.

Two of the vessels were sold to the Croatian Navy for a price of €9 million (65 million kuna) as a part of an off-set deal for the previous Croatian purchase of 126 Patria AMV vehicles.

The ships arrived in Croatia on 2 November 2008. They underwent a basic refit and repainting, and entered service in January 2009. According to current plans the ships are scheduled to stay active until 2020–2022.