Gulf of Finland

Gulf of Finland

The Gulf of Finland is the easternmost arm of the Baltic Sea. It extends between Finland and Estonia all the way to Saint Petersburg in Russia, where the river Neva drains into it. Other major cities around the gulf include Helsinki and Tallinn...

 Naval Command is a Finnish Navy

Finnish Navy

The Finnish Navy is one of the branches of the Finnish Defence Forces. The Navy employs 2,300 people and about 4,300 conscripts are trained each year. Finnish Navy vessels are given the ship prefix "FNS" simply short for "Finnish Navy Ship"...

 unit headquartered in Upinniemi

Upinniemi

Upinniemi is a village in the municipality of Kirkkonummi in southern Finland. It is located approximately 12 km south of the municipal centre....

, Kirkkonummi

Kirkkonummi

Kirkkonummi is a municipality of inhabitants in southern Finland. The literal meaning of the words "Kirkkonummi" and "Kyrkslätt" in English is "church moor"....

.

The main duty of the Gulf of Finland Naval Command during normal condition is the surveillance of Finnish territorial waters and maintaining territorial integrity. In addition, the Command trains conscripts to fulfill duties in the crisis-time organization of the Finnish Defence Forces. The readiness fortresses and particular other units of the Command are permanently in state of high readiness.

Organization

• 7th Missile Squadron (7. Ohjuslaivue), operating Hamina class
  Hamina class missile boat
  The Hamina class missile boat is a 4-strong class of fast attack craft of the Finnish Navy. Technically they are classified as "missile fast attack craft", ohjusvene, literally "missile boat" in Finnish.-History:...
  
   fast attack craft
  Fast Attack Craft
  Fast Attack Craft are small, fast, agile and offensive warships, that are armed with anti-ship missiles, guns or torpedoes. These are usually operated in close proximity to land as they lack both the sea-keeping and all-round defensive capabilities to survive in blue water. The size of the vessel...
  
   and Kiisla class
  Kiisla class patrol boat
  The Kiisla class is a two-strong class of patrol boats/ASW vessels in use by the Finnish Navy. The ships were built in 1984 and 1988 at the Hollming shipyard in Rauma for the Finnish Coast Guard. They were transferred to the Navy in 2004....
  
   patrol vessels.
• 5th Mine Warfare Squadron (5. Miinalaivue), operating Pohjanmaa and Pansio class minelayer
  Pansio class minelayer
  The Pansio class minelayers is a three-strong class of mine warfare vessels used by the Finnish Navy, built between 1991 and 1992. The vessels can also be used for transport or to supply the naval forts...
  
  s. The squadron also includes the Finnish Navy Diving School, training conscripts and career personnel as combat and work divers.
• Suomenlinna
  Suomenlinna
  Suomenlinna, until 1918 Viapori , or Sveaborg , is an inhabited sea fortress built on six islands , and which now forms part of the city of Helsinki, the capital of Finland.Suomenlinna is a UNESCO World Heritage site and popular with both tourists and locals, who...
  
   Coastal Regiment, responsible for continuously keeping Isosaari fortress in state of readiness.
• Kotka
  Kotka
  Kotka is a town and municipality of Finland. Its former name is Rochensalm.Kotka is located on the coast of the Gulf of Finland at the mouth of Kymi River and it is part of the Kymenlaakso region in southern Finland. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water....
  
   Coast Battalion, responsible for the surveillance and defence of Kymenlaakso
  Kymenlaakso
  Kymenlaakso is a region in Finland. It borders to the regions Uusimaa, Päijänne Tavastia, Southern Savonia, and South Karelia.- Historical provinces :For history, geography and culture see: Uusimaa , Karelia- Municipalities :...
  
   coast, including the major ports of Hamina
  Hamina
  Hamina is a town and a municipality of Finland. It is located in the province of Southern Finland and is part of the Kymenlaakso region. The town has a population of and covers an area of ofwhich is water. The population density is...
  
   and Kotka. The Battalion mans the Haapasaari Marine Surveillance Station and the maintains the fortress of Kirkonmaa at high readiness.
• Porkkala
  Porkkala
  Porkkala is a peninsula in the Gulf of Finland located at Kirkkonummi in Southern Finland.The peninsula had great strategic value, as coastal artillery based there would be able to reach more than halfway across the Gulf of Finland...
  
   Coast Battalion (Porkkalan Rannikkopataljoona), responsible for providing logistics, force protection and coastal artillery
  Coastal artillery
  Coastal artillery is the branch of armed forces concerned with operating anti-ship artillery or fixed gun batteries in coastal fortifications....
  
  support for the command headquarters in Upinniemi. In conscript training, the Battalion specializes in producing marine reconnaissance units of the Finnish Navy
• Navy Training Center (Merivoimien Koulutuskeskus), a unit responsible for the induction and basic training of most Finnish Navy conscripts. The Center also operates a large NCO school and provides training for rank-and-file logistics specialists. From time to time, the Center produces coastal infantry units.
• Logistics Centre (Huoltokeskus)