Finnish Navy: Hull of first Pohjanmaa-class corvette completed

The hull of the first Pohjanmaa-class (Squadron 2020) multi-role corvette has been completed, the Finnish Navy revealed.

As disclosed, the first multi-purpose Pohjanmaa-class corvette has reached the “hull completed” stage on schedule at the end of 2024. The protective coating, which had shielded the vessel during the painting process, was removed in early February. The vessel is being built by local shipyard Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC).

The navy said that now the outfitting work will continue at the shipyard, with the official launch expected this spring.

The project is progressing as planned, with the goal of completing four vessels by 2029. Construction of the first corvette began in April 2024, and the second corvette started in October 2024. The corvettes will be commissioned in phases during 2027 and 2029.

Rauma Marine Constructions and its subsidiary RMC Defence are building four Pohjanmaa-class corvettes. The high-performance vessels are designed to operate in the Baltic Sea year-round in various circumstances ranging from autumn storms to icy and freezing conditions.

The 117-meter-long corvettes will be constructed in a new multipurpose hall that has been built specifically for this project. They have a width of 16 meters, a draft of 5 meters, and are capable of traveling at 26 knots.

They are also capable of laying navy mines, performing defense actions against surface vessels, submarines, and various airborne targets, and conducting maritime operations. In addition to domestic operations, the vessels can be used in crisis management measures and as part of NATO’s Standing Naval Forces.