Finnish Navy readies for fleet exercise in Baltic Sea

The Finnish Navy is set to hold a fleet-wide exercise in the Gulf of Finland from May 22 to June 1.

Named MTH-17 Lyydia, the exercise is arranged annually by the Finnish Navy for its naval and coastal units.

Hämeenmaa-class minelayers, Rauma- and Hamina-class fast attack missile craft and Katanpää-class Mine Hunter Coastal Vessels, as well as support vessels and units from the coastal units will participate in the exercise.

The purpose of the Lyydia exercise is to develop the command and control, the use of fires in maritime operations and readiness skills of the naval units and echelons. The exercise objective is to practise different areas of naval warfare and the use of fires in the Baltic Sea area.

Personnel, conscripts and reservists from all the brigade-level units of the Finnish Navy will participate in the exercise. Commanding officer of the MTH-17 Lyydia exercise is the Chief of Readiness, Captain (N) Tuomas Tiilikainen.

In addition to naval units, units from the Army, the Air Force, the Border Guard and the Logistics Command will also participate in the exercise. The total strength of the exercise is approximately 2250 persons.