Ground-based air defence (Finnish Defence Forces)

Ground-based air defence
Ilmatorjunta
CountryFinland
RoleAir defence [1]
MarchNuijamiesten marssi[1]
Anniversaries30 November (Viborg Bang and baptism by fire in the Winter War)[1]
Commanders
Inspector of Air DefenceColonel Mano-Mikael Nokelainen[2]
Insignia
Gunner training branch insignia
Missile branch insignia
Radar operator branch insignia

Ground-based air defence (Finnish: Ilmatorjunta, Swedish: Fältartilleriet) is a service branch of the Finnish Army. The branch is responsible for the destruction and denial of enemy air assets and the protection of both military and civilian targets from air attacks.[3]

History

Early history

During the First World War, almost 1,900 Finnish men travelled to Germany to receive military training as part of the Jäger Movement. Out of the volunteers was formed the 27th Jäger Battalion.[4] Some Jägers received anti-aircraft training using field guns.[1]

Inspector of Artillery, then colonel, Vilho Nenonen suggested the formation of anti-air artillery units in 1921. The acquisition of guns started in 1924[1] and the Air Defence Contingent was founded in Suomenlinna on 1 July 1925 on the orders of lieutenant colonel Väinö Valve. The first battery was founded on 18 June 1926.[5][1]

In 1937 ground-based air defence was moved from artillery to the air force, and in 1939 it became an independent service branch.[1]

The Winter War

Air defence during the Winter War was successful, with relatively low civilian casualties and a high shooting accuracy by air defence units.[1]

During the Interim Peace the amount of anti-air weapons grew by sevenfold. Acoustic location, searchlights, and the development of barrage techniques (sulkuammunta) were a response to the nighttime bombing by Soviet aviation.[1]

The Continuation War

Colour photo of two anti-air artillery pieces firing in darkness, the heads of one of the crews are visible in the bottom of the photo
Anti-air artillery firing in Taivaskallio, Helsinki, 23 November 1942

Radars were acquired from Germany in 1943. A significant amount of new anti-air guns bought were only delivered in 1944 or not at all.[1]

Improvements in technology and technique helped to protect Helsinki and Kotka from the effects massive Soviet air raids in February 1944.[1][5]

Post war

Soviet 23 ITK 61 anti-air autocannons and SU-57-2s were acquired in the 1960s. Additionally SAM-75M missiles were planned to be bought, but the sale was blocked by the United States under the 1947 Paris Peace Treaty, as they could threaten American nuclear bombers, and thus the nuclear deterrance.[1]

The first anti-air missile, a Strela-2, was fired in Finland on 22 February 1979, and ITO 79 missiles were bought in the beginning of the 1980s. ITO90 missiles were bought in the beginning of the 1990s, and Marksman anti-aircraft systems were installed on T-55 chassis in 1990.[1]

Post 2000

The Marksmans were updated by installing them on Leopard 2 chassis, and the updated versions entered service with the Finnish Army in 2016.[6]

Training and units

As of 2026, Finnish air defence troops are trained at the following units:[3]

Jaeger Brigade:[7]

  • Rovaniemi Air Defence Battalion:
    • 1st Air Defence Battery: Trained equipment includes Crotale surface-to-air missiles, 23 ITK 61 autocannons, and targeting radars
    • 2st Air Defence Battery: Training of non-commissioned officers (NCOs), (and military police)
    • (Airbase Support Company)

Karelia Brigade:[8]

  • Salpausselkä Air Defense Battalion:
    • 1st Air Defence Battery: Command centre units, anti-aircraft artillery using 23 ITK 61 and 23 ITK 61/95 autocannons
    • 2st Air Defence Battery: NCO training
    • 3st Air Defence Battery: Missile units, and AA-artillery units for independent forces (operatiivinenyhtymä), army groups, and other branches of the Finnish Defence Forces. Equipment includes ITO 15, ITO 05M, and ITO 05 missiles and 23 ITK 61 and 23 ITK 61/95 autocannons

Armoured Brigade:[9]

Army Academy:[10]

  • Reserve Officer School: All reserve officers of the service branch are trained in the Firing Battery.
  • Army Research Centre: Research and development

Air Force Academy:[11]

  • The Education and Training Centre:
    • Ground-based air defence sector: Further training of professional soldiers, and personnel of partners such as Millog.[11] Branch specific training of ground-based air defence Cadet[12] and Master of military science students[13]

All of three brigade-level units also train supporting personnel.[7][8][9]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Simola, Seppo (10 August 2016). "Historia: Ilmatorjunta sai tulikasteensa talvisodan alkaessa". Reserviläinen (in Finnish). Retrieved 23 July 2026.
  2. ↑ "Army Command". maavoimat.fi. Retrieved 22 July 2026.
  3. 1 2 Conscript 2026: A guide for getting ready for military service (PDF). Finnish Defence Forces. 2025. p. 42. ISBN 978-951-25-3533-0. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
  4. ↑ Loikkanen, Jarmo (2023). "Jääkäripioneerit" (PDF). Hakku (in Finnish). Vol. 603. pp. 10–13.
  5. 1 2 "Independent Finland's high-performance ground-based air defence celebrates its 100-year journey". puolustusvoimat.fi. 1 July 2025. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
  6. ↑ "MAAVOIMIEN LIIKKUVUUDEN JA TULIVOIMAN ROLL OUT PANSSARIPRIKAATISSA 5.8.2015 – Esiteltävä kalusto" (PDF) (in Finnish). Finnish Defence Forces. 5 August 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 October 2015. Retrieved 2 December 2017.
  7. 1 2 "Jaeger Brigade - For conscripts". maavoimat.fi. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
  8. 1 2 "Tervetuloa varusmiespalvelukseen 6. heinäkuuta!". maavoimat.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 23 July 2026.
  9. 1 2 "Tervetuloa palvelukseen Panssariprikaatiin!". maavoimat.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 23 July 2026.
  10. ↑ "Facts about Army Academy". maavoimat.fi. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
  11. 1 2 "Ilmatorjuntakadetin aselajiopinnot tarjoavat kattavan kuvan ilmapuolustuksesta". ilmavoimat.fi (in Finnish). 6 October 2022. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
  12. ↑ Maanpuolustuskorkeakoulu Opinto-opas: Sotatieteiden kandidaatin tutkinnon ja sen lisäksi suoritettavien sotilasammatillisten opintojen opetussuunnitelma 2025 (PDF) (in Finnish). 2025. p. 54. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
  13. ↑ Maanpuolustuskorkeakoulu Opinto-opas: Sotatieteiden maisterin tutkinnon ja sen lisäksi suoritettavien sotilasammatillisten opintojen opetussuunnitelma 2025 (PDF) (in Finnish). 2025. p. 98. Retrieved 23 July 2026.

Further reading

History

Branch publications

  • "Ilmatorjuntalehti". ilmatorjunta.fi (in Finnish)., archive of the Finnish ground-based air defence's branch magazine Ilmatorjuntalehti
This page is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.