Patria to upgrade Finnish FACs
The Finnish Defence Forces’ Logistics Command is set to sign a contract with Patria Aviation for the upgrade of the Hamina-class fast attack missile craft (FAC), the Finnish Ministry of Defence announced on 19 December.
As a part of the upgrade, a torpedo weapon system will be procured from Saab Dynamics. The total value of the upgrade is $263.4 million.
The upgrade will ensure sufficient naval defence readiness in the 2020s after the decommissioning of the Rauma class FAC and before the introduction of Squadron 2020 corvettes into service. It will extend the service life of the fleet until 2035, extend the independent operating time of vessels and improve anti-submarine warfare and self-protection capabilities.
The lightweight torpedo weapon system procurement is being coordinated with a procurement by the Swedish
FMV, which is expected to receive its weapons between 2023-2025.
The vessels will also be equipped with a new Surface Warfare Missile 2020 system, which will be selected in 2018.More from Naval Warfare
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