The Hämeenmaa class minelayers (-luokan miinalaiva) is a two vessel strong class of minelayer

Minelayer

Minelaying is the act of deploying explosive mines. Historically this has been carried out by ships, submarines and aircraft. Additionally, since World War I the term minelayer refers specifically to a naval ship used for deploying naval mines...

s, used by the 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"...

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The ships have a steel hull and alloy superstructure. The class has an ice operating classification of ICE-1A and can operate around the year. The design included some first attempts on stealth technology

Stealth technology

Stealth technology also termed LO technology is a sub-discipline of military tactics and passive electronic countermeasures, which cover a range of techniques used with personnel, aircraft, ships, submarines, and missiles, to make them less visible to radar, infrared, sonar and other detection...

 in the Finnish Navy.

During a crisis the main task for the Hämeenmaa class ships is minelaying, but the vessels can also act as escort, transport and depot ships.

History

The contract for the Hämeenmaa class was originally awarded to Wärtsilä Meriteollisuus

Wärtsilä

Wärtsilä is a Finnish corporation which manufactures and services power sources and other equipment in the marine and energy markets. The core products of Wärtsilä include large combustion engines...

, but following its bankruptcy the contract was transferred to Hollming. Turmoil in the Finnish shipbuilding industry didn't stop there. In early 1992 Hollming and Rauma Yards merged their shipbuilding industry to form a new company called Finnyards.

Modernization

Both ships are being modernized 2006-2008. The purpose of the modernization is to firstly upgrade the ships' equipment to fit modern standards, and secondly, to enable the ships to participate in international operations, mainly European Security and Defence Policy

European Security and Defence Policy

The Common Security and Defence Policy , formerly known as the European Security and Defence Policy , is a major element of the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the European Union and is the domain of EU policy covering defence and military aspects...

 operations. They are fitted with weapons systems transferred from the discontinued Tuuli class

Tuuli class hovercraft

The Tuuli class combat hovercraft is a type of vessel designed for the Finnish Navy.The Tuuli class was also previously known as the T-2000 class. It takes its name from the decommissioned Tuima class FNS Tuuli missile boat...

 hovercrafts including the Umkhonto missile

Umkhonto missile

Umkhonto is a South African, vertical launch surface-to-air missile manufactured by Denel Dynamics available in infrared homing and radar homing version .-Umkhonto-IR Mk1:...

 system. Also a new fire control system Saab 9LV325E FCS, modern monitoring equipment including TRS3D-16ES surveillance radar and Kongsberg ST2400 Variable Depth Sonar and SS2030 Hull mounted sonar, and possibly other modernised equipment will be installed.

Role after modernization

Modernization of the two Hämeenmaa-class ships serves of course the interests of Finnish Navy, but also the ones of EU's Helsinki Headline Goal: these two ships will most likely be the most important ships for EU, having relatively wide selection of roles that they can assume, from light espionage- and minelayer ship to escort- and anti-submarine warfare ship, these two vehicles are practically perfect for monitoring Russia's Baltic fleet.

Weaponry:

Original	After modernization
2 × Bofors 40 mm dual-purpose guns 2 × twin 23 mm anti-aircraft guns 1 × six-missile ItO 91 Mistral missile Mistral is an infrared homing surface-to-air missile manufactured by the European multinational company MBDA missile systems . Based on the French SATCP , the portable missile later to become the Mistral began development in 1974...  surface-to-air missile launcher 2 × anti-submarine rocket launchers 2 × depth charge rails 100-150 sea mines (four mine laying rails)	1 × Bofors 57 mm dual-purpose gun 1 × eight-cell ItO 04 Umkhonto missile Umkhonto is a South African, vertical launch surface-to-air missile manufactured by Denel Dynamics available in infrared homing and radar homing version .-Umkhonto-IR Mk1:...  surface-to-air missile launcher 2 × anti-submarine rocket launchers 2 × depth charge rails 100-150 sea mines (four mine laying rails)

Hämeenmaa was delivered from the dock back to the Navy on 13 April 2007 and Uusimaa, which had been under modernization since November 2006 at the Aker Yards

Aker Yards

STX Europe AS, formerly Aker Yards ASA, a subsidiary of the South Korean industrial chaebol STX Corporation, is the largest shipbuilding group in Europe and the fourth largest in the world. With headquarters in Oslo, Norway, STX Europe operates 15 shipyards in Brazil, Finland, France, Norway,...

 dock in Rauma

Rauma, Finland

Rauma is a town and municipality of ca. inhabitants on the west coast of Finland, north of Turku, and south of Pori. Granted town privileges on May 17, 1442 , Rauma is known of its high quality lace , and of the old wooden architecture of its centre , which is a Unesco world heritage...

, was delivered on 26 October 2007. Hämeenmaa and Uusimaa will be conducting sea trials on their new systems until the end of 2008, when operational readiness is achieved.

Vessels

FNS Hämeenmaa

Pennant number: 02.

Builder: Finnyards.

Ordered: 29 December 1989.

Laid down: 2 April 1991.

Launched: 11 November 1991.

Commissioned: 15 April 1992.

Home base: Pansio

Pansio

Pansio is a district and a suburb of the city of Turku, Finland. It is located in the western part of the city. It has a population of 2,809 , and an annual population growth of -3.83%....

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Current status: In active service.

FNS Uusimaa

Pennant number: 05.

Builder: Finnyards.

Ordered: 13 February 1991.

Laid down: 12 November 1991.

Launched: June 1992.

Commissioned: 2 December 1992.

Home base: Pansio

Pansio

Pansio is a district and a suburb of the city of Turku, Finland. It is located in the western part of the city. It has a population of 2,809 , and an annual population growth of -3.83%....

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Current status: In active service.