UK agrees mutual security deals with Finland and Sweden

[Sardaukar]

New batch of AT missiles ordered:

https://maavoimat.fi/en/-/new-missiles-to-complement-the-anti-tank-capability-of-the-army

The procurement of the Spike SR and Spike LR2 anti-tank guided missile systems will significantly enhance the anti-tank capability of the Army.

............

The total value of the procurement will be c. EUR 213 million. The funding will be as per the governmental supplementary budget that included allocation of supplementary funding for rapidly initiated defence materiel procurement.

That's quite a lot of missiles/systems. 

Edited December 10, 2022 by Sardaukar

[DB]

Similarly, although NLAW is at the low end. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-orders-thousands-more-anti-tank-weapons-to-bolster-stockpiles

[Sardaukar]

42 minutes ago, DB said:

Similarly, although NLAW is at the low end. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-orders-thousands-more-anti-tank-weapons-to-bolster-stockpiles

Spike SR is direct competitor of Javelin. I had minor part in testing Javelin and Spike back in days and FDF decided that it's slightly better system. 

NLAW is great system, also used by FDF. 

We still use French APILAS too, though those are slowly getting replaced by NLAW.

 

[Sardaukar]

More stuff bought from Israel. 

New long-range 122mm rockets for RM-70 aka Kevyt raketinheitin 122 RAKH 89 M1 for 70 mil €. 

https://www.defmin.fi/ajankohtaista/tiedotteet_ja_uutiset/puolustusministerio_paatti_122_mm_rakettien_hankinnasta.13271.news#f6a582c0

Probably AccuLAR-122/Romach rockets.

Edited December 12, 2022 by Sardaukar

[Sardaukar]

Bolide-missiles from Sweden for  ITO05 (ASRAD-R) ja ITO05M (RBS70) for 76.6 mil €.

https://www.defmin.fi/ajankohtaista/tiedotteet_ja_uutiset/puolustusvoimille_hankitaan_ilmatorjuntaohjuksia.13272.news#f6a582c0

[BansheeOne]

Quote

The Death of a Forced Friendship

Russian Invasion of Ukraine Ends an Era in Finland

Russia and Finland once maintained close relations that were partly imposed by Moscow. Since Putin's invasion of Ukraine, though, the Finns are strengthening their defenses and striving to join NATO. For many, it marks the end of an era.

By Nadia Pantel

15.12.2022, 11.58 Uhr

All that remains of Lenin is a bit of red glue on a marble pedestal. For 43 years, it stood in a small park in the southern Finnish coastal town of Kotka. At times, people smeared it with paint, and the local council regularly argued over whether its presence trivialized Stalinism. But Lenin remained. In 1995, a Polish artist gave him a left arm, which the statue had been lacking. And from then on, Lenin held a bronze cigarette in his hand.

Recent months, though, have seen movement on the issue. First, the city of Turku took down a Lenin statue, followed by a Soviet monument in Helsinki. In October, the Kotka City Council finally sent a demolition squad to Finland's last remaining Lenin.

Two-thirds of respondents had told the local newspaper that they could no longer stand the statue: Russia invades Ukraine, yet a Lenin statue installed by Moscow is still standing exactly where the Soviet army first attacked Kotka in 1939? It was too much.

Lenin had actually arrived as a friend. In 1979, Moscow commissioned an Estonian sculptor to create it as a symbol of Soviet-Finnish solidarity. But in 2022, the people of Kotka and Finland finally lost patience. Enough Lenin. Stay away Moscow.

The Baltic Sea Goes NATO

Even the Baltic Sea, which lies under the gray sky just a few paces behind Lenin's pedestal, will soon no longer be the same. Finland expects to be admitted to NATO next year, together with Sweden. Northern Europe is saying goodbye to the idea of neutrality. And the inland sea will soon become almost completely under NATO control, with a bit of Russia at its easternmost tip. Over the summer, U.S. President Joe Biden said: "Putin was looking for the Finlandization of Europe. He's going to get the 'NATOization' of Europe."

"Finlandization" was the term used in West Germany in the days of the Iron Curtain to describe the enforced closeness with which Moscow made Helsinki an acquiescent neighbor. Given that most Finns are polite people, they refrained from coining the term "Berlinization" to describe the period after the fall of the Wall - the phase during which Germany behaved as if defense and security issues were concerns of the past. It's an attitude that Finland, which shares a 1,340-kilometer border with Russia, could never afford.

Driving along that border, you learn that every city has a well-maintained system of air-raid shelters, which are currently being used as swimming pools, gymnasiums and storage rooms. After all, they want the present to be as normal as possible, but completely ruling out a Russian attack seemed cavalier. It is also a country that nonetheless maintained serene and pragmatic contact with its large neighbor. Russian tourists, businessmen and friends are quietly yet painfully missed in Finland.

[...]

https://www.spiegel.de/international/the-death-of-a-forced-friendship-russian-invasion-of-ukraine-ends-an-era-in-finland-a-aaacd05d-0c33-4215-bd2b-3be3e0b6368e

[Yama]

On 12/12/2022 at 2:54 PM, Sardaukar said:

More stuff bought from Israel. 

New long-range 122mm rockets for RM-70 aka Kevyt raketinheitin 122 RAKH 89 M1 for 70 mil €. 

https://www.defmin.fi/ajankohtaista/tiedotteet_ja_uutiset/puolustusministerio_paatti_122_mm_rakettien_hankinnasta.13271.news#f6a582c0

Probably AccuLAR-122/Romach rockets.

This is a big surprise, as it was widely held that Grads are on their way out, if they're not effectively given up already.

Edited December 15, 2022 by Yama

[Sardaukar]

On 12/15/2022 at 8:33 PM, Yama said:

This is a big surprise, as it was widely held that Grads are on their way out, if they're not effectively given up already.

I think need for good long range artillery systems were quickly realized.

[Colin]

12 minutes ago, Sardaukar said:

I think need for good long range artillery systems were quickly realized.

Canada cannot find chat...

[Sardaukar]

1 minute ago, Colin said:

Canada cannot find chat...

You lost the plot quite soon...  We never did. 

[Huba]

23 minutes ago, Sardaukar said:

I think need for good long range artillery systems were quickly realized.

Even though it seems that Poland will indeed purchase the insane 500 HIMARS/ K239, reportedly there is still space left for modernized RM-70 in the future ORBATs. These are to be pushed down to Bde level artillery battalions, with DPICM playing a prominent role.

[Mistral]

I wonder what the demants were, anex half of Sweden?

 

[bojan]

Roughly - declare all Kurdish organizations terrorists, stop therir fundraising, cooperate with Turkish police investigating Kurds in Sweden, and deliver anyone who Turks want.

 

Edited January 8, 2023 by bojan

[Mike1158]

No surprise that demand will never be met but tbh, they would be better for NATO than Turkey and I'm sure the Turk's know that.

More barter I suppose but when they (The Turks) will stop rocking the boat I have no idea.

[TrustMe]

Isn't the Kurdish Works Party fighting in Syria for the US, a communist organization? It seems weird to support them.

[sunday]

22 minutes ago, TrustMe said:

Isn't the Kurdish Works Party fighting in Syria for the US, a communist organization? It seems weird to support them.

Those are some atypical commies, a Spanist Carlist went to fight with them.

[TrustMe]

6 minutes ago, sunday said:

Those are some atypical commies, a Spanist Carlist went to fight with them.

That is weird.

[sunday]

9 minutes ago, TrustMe said:

That is weird.

Here, with his flag

Interview (in Spanish, definitively not politically correct)

[TrustMe]

1 minute ago, sunday said:

Here, with his flag

Interview (in Spanish, definitively not politically correct)

Some people just want to fight for a cause. In the Spanish civil war British soldiers fought on both sides of that conflict.

[sunday]

23 minutes ago, TrustMe said:

Some people just want to fight for a cause. In the Spanish civil war British soldiers fought on both sides of that conflict.

Indeed

https://www.amazon.com/Mine-Were-Trouble-Nationalist-Account/dp/B08673MBF1

[Sardaukar]

21 hours ago, bojan said:

Roughly - declare all Kurdish organizations terrorists, stop therir fundraising, cooperate with Turkish police investigating Kurds in Sweden, and deliver anyone who Turks want.

 

Considering we had about 30-80 SF personnel training YPG peshmerga..and I don't even know if that operation is still ongoing... 

According to public info, there were 50 instructors and from 2015-2019, they had given training to 4500 Kurdish fighters.

So, that might be bit of a problem in eyes of Turkish...

 

Edited January 9, 2023 by Sardaukar

[Sardaukar]

Finland is delivering military aid to Ukraine again. This time aid package is 400+ mil €, over twice larger than all previous packages together. Now total military aid is approx. 590 mil €.

https://www.defmin.fi/en/topical/press_releases_and_news/finland_to_deliver_more_defence_materiel_to_ukraine.13357.news#f6a582c0

- Ukraine continues to need support in defending its territory and the current package of defence materiel is clearly the largest one to date. Finland supplies heavy artillery and munitions to Ukraine, says Minister of Defence Mikko Savola.

For operational reasons and to ensure that the delivery reaches its destination, more detailed information on the content of the assistance, manner of delivery or schedule will not be provided. Both Ukraine’s needs and the resources of the Defence Forces have been taken into account when deciding on the additional assistance.

[Mistral]

It’s final, Sweden is a terrorist sponsoring state! No place in NATO.

Besides politics you have to appreciate the irony of it all, the one NATO member with no sanctions imposed on Russia that in fact has Increased trade with Russia ( those sanctioned dual use high tech items must get to Russia somehow) is also blocking the expansion.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-64380066

[Huba]

There was a press conference by Finnish FM today. Finland won't be joining without Sweden, and hopefully the accession will be only delayed by weeks. More groveling in front of the Sultan is in order:

 

[BansheeOne]

It has to irk Erdogan that for practical purposes, his denial makes little difference as in the current situation, NATO partners would come to the aid of Finland and Sweden anyway, official membership or not, while he'll find everyday support by the same partners like the current F-16 deal increasingly difficult. Guess he thinks it's worth the hassle to fire up the domestic base ahead of the upcoming elections.