BAE Systems to deliver Bofors 40 Mk4 guns for Finnish Hamina-class missile boats

Finnish Navy’s Hamina-class missile boats will be receiving new Bofors 40 Mk4 naval guns delivered by BAE Systems under a contract with Finland’s Patria.

Patria is the prime contractor selected by Finland’s defense ministry to coordinate the missile boat upgrades.

“Finland is the third country to select our Bofors 40 Mk4, the result of growing interest from countries seeking the flexibility that this 40-mm naval gun and ammunition system provides,” said Lena Gillström, managing director of Weapon Systems, Sweden at BAE Systems.

BAE Systems has supplied gun systems to both the Finnish Navy and the Finnish Army, including air defense, field artillery, and anti-tank guns. Currently, several BAE Systems Bofors naval gun systems, the 40-mm L/70, and 57Mk3 guns with 3P ammunition are in service on Finnish naval ships.

In addition to BAE Systems guns, Hamina-class craft will be upgraded with the Saab-built 9LV combat management system (CMS), the 9LV fire control system (FCS) including the Ceros 200 fire control director and the Trackfire remote weapon station (RWS).

Upgrades are to start at the beginning of 2018 and to be completed by the end of 2021. In addition to hull and structure maintenance, Hamina boats will be equipped with light torpedoes, thus becoming the only units in the Finnish Navy with this capability.