Fighters drop off a helicopter using a rope

Army

The Army defends the entire land area of the state and executes all three of the Defence Forces’ tasks.

The defence of Finland’s territory is based on the large reserve created by general conscription. Annually, the Army’s eight brigade-level units train around 20,000 conscripts. Refresher exercises, which maintain reservists’ skills, involve thousands of reservists each year.

The Army carries its social responsibility by providing assistance to other authorities some 400 times a year.

The Army leads the majority of the military crisis management operations that the Defence Forces are involved in. It also trains and equips forces for crisis management tasks.

Tasks of the Army

  1. Defending Finland's land area

  2. Providing support to other authorities

  3. Providing and receiving international assistance

  4. Participating in international crisis management operations

The Army's wartime troops, 180,000 soldiers

Operational units

  • Demanding mobile battle missions in the entire country
  • Good equipment
  • Direction of the main effort

Regional units

  • Causing losses for the opponent, controlling areas (reformed land warfare doctrine)
  • Task-specific equipment
  • Central areas

Local units

  • Protecting targets, mobilising troops, cooperating with other authorities
  • Light equipment
  • Cover the entire country

The personnel strength of the Army

Salaried personnel 4 380
Soldiers
Civilians		 3 610
770
Conscripts 18 400
Of which voluntary women 1 000
Reservists 18 400
Taking part in refresher training
Taking part in voluntary exercises
 

13 100
5 300

 
Crisis Management Operations 760
Of which reservists 515

Army equipment

Main battle tanks
Leopard 2A6
Leopard 2A4		 200
100
100
Mechanised infantry combat vehicles
CV9030 FIN
BMP 2M		 200
100
100
Armoured personnel carriers 700
Tracked vehicles 1200
Field guns 800
Transport helicopters 20
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