UK agrees mutual security deals with Finland and Sweden

[Olof Larsson]

4 hours ago, Sardaukar said:

Apparently it can be converted to 6.8mm in future... IF that cartridge is gaining traction in future.  

And that is a huge if. It's not like NATO rushed and standardised on the .223, and that was a great idea. It took NATO a couple of decades to standardise on, well not the .223 Rem, but a almost identical, but backwards incompatible round. And as said, that was with a calibre that made great sense. The 6.8x51 on the other hand is the most retarded military caliber to come out of the US, since...well ever. It's so stupid, it could be the brainchild of Mike Sparks...

[Josh]

Don’t say his name three times!!!

[Angrybk]

3 minutes ago, Josh said:

Don’t say his name three times!!!

sound of millions of Marines SCREAMING for fire support

[Ssnake]

8" rifles FTW

[Timo]

The taxpayer in me loves this rifle project. They take what's essentially a free-for-all industry standard design, source all the peripherals COTS and build all the parts that matter locally in high quality. Totally unexciting in an exciting way.

[Sardaukar]

OK, we are in.

Turkish parliament approved Finland's NATO membership with votes 276-0. Kurdish party abstained.

Just need Erdogan to sign it, but that is another formality. 

Edited March 31, 2023 by Sardaukar

[Ssnake]

[Sardaukar]

Amusingly, we are already participating into Baltic Air Patrol with 4 F-18C.

[wendist]

So when Sweden, eventually, get a go ahead from Turkey and Hungary to join NATO, Finland as a NATO member will have to approve of it as well. It would not surprise me one bit if the True Finns party (or whatever they're called in English) would start making demands à la Erdogan to, maybe, allow the perfidious Swedes join the club. It will be a long summer.😅  

[Sardaukar]

22 minutes ago, wendist said:

So when Sweden, eventually, get a go ahead from Turkey and Hungary to join NATO, Finland as a NATO member will have to approve of it as well. It would not surprise me one bit if the True Finns party (or whatever they're called in English) would start making demands à la Erdogan to, maybe, allow the perfidious Swedes join the club. It will be a long summer.😅  

Obviously we'll demand that you forfeit next Ice Hockey World Championship.

But seriously, Sweden is strategically important for Finland, since 90% of our supply goes via Sweden's maritime area. 

 

[Stuart Galbraith]

 

[wendist]

28 minutes ago, Sardaukar said:

Obviously we'll demand that you forfeit next Ice Hockey World Championship.

But seriously, Sweden is strategically important for Finland, since 90% of our supply goes via Sweden's maritime area. 

 

Oh I know there won't be any real problems getting that approval but wouldn't it be kind of typical if, when all your MP's are gathered to give that final vote, that one guy stands up and says "Well there is just this one small problem...".😂

[Sardaukar]

9 hours ago, wendist said:

Oh I know there won't be any real problems getting that approval but wouldn't it be kind of typical if, when all your MP's are gathered to give that final vote, that one guy stands up and says "Well there is just this one small problem...".😂

Good thing it doesn't need unanimous vote.  Even NATO membership request vote was 188-8...so there are always some against anything.

[Sardaukar]

And just now, Erdogan has signed Turkish parliament decision.

Thus it's just days before we are in NATO.

[Harold Jones]

20 minutes ago, Sardaukar said:

And just now, Erdogan has signed Turkish parliament decision.

Thus it's just days before we are in NATO.

Mazel Tov

[Sardaukar]

7 minutes ago, Harold Jones said:

Mazel Tov

You might regret letting us in, but hey!

[Sardaukar]

And tomorrow is the day....

https://www.presidentti.fi/en/press-release/finland-becomes-a-member-of-nato-on-tuesday-4-april/

[Stuart Galbraith]

Russia is now truly shagged. Just wait till winter...

[Mistral]

Funny that the Swedish bid went awol.  I thought both countries vowed to join together.

[Ssnake]

The Sultan needs to finish his elections first.

[Sardaukar]

Well...Turkey and Hungary didn't like Swedish attitude towards them...

[Sardaukar]

And it's done, 31st NATO country now. 

[Markus Becker]

One in, one to go:

 

 

[Sardaukar]

Finland is buying high-altitude SAM system, David's Sling, from Israel:

https://www.defmin.fi/en/topical/press_releases_and_news/new_long-range_air_defence_system_for_the_finnish_defence_forces.13506.news#f6a582c0

The Ministry of Defence has authorised the Finnish Defence Forces to procure the David’s Sling system as the next long-range air defence system of Finland. Rafael Advanced Defense Systems (Israel) will deliver the system. The value of the procurement without value added tax is approximately 316 million euros.
The David’s Sling system will extend the operational range of Finland’s ground-based air defence capabilities significantly. The minimum flight altitude requirement of the system was set at 15 000 meters in the request for quotation.

...

The procurement contract will include a separate part between the Israel Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Defence of Finland to ensure the security of supply of the system. The arrangement will ensure the availability of critical system components in all security situations. 

[Angrybk]

The thing I’ve never understood about Finland is that it always tops world lists of the happiest countries, but every Finn I’ve met is an angry bitter drunk (although great at their jobs!)