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17.11.2022 | The Army’s main exercise Kontio 22 will be held in Northern Karelia from 25 November to 2 December 2022. Approximately 2000 reservists will receive refresher training in the exercise. Some of them will serve as instructors for other reservists in the exercise.

8.2.2022 | The Heritage Anniversary of the Artillery School is celebrated on 7 February. This February, the Artillery School celebrated its Heritage Anniversary on a small scale in the absence of guests as a precautionary measure due to the pandemic. In the following, you may read more about this 104-year-old service branch school and access a selection of photos, courtesy of the Artillery School’s photo archive, illustrating the school’s history:

18.11.2022 | More pieces of the self-propelled 155-mm howitzer K9 will be procured for the Army. The procurement will significantly improve the firepower of the Army.

23.6.2022 | In Pori Brigade, the Army complementary international exercise and training activity will start on Monday 27 June 2022.

17.6.2022 | In the Guard Jaeger Regiment, the Army complementary international exercise and training activity will start on 20 June 2022. A training audience force involving a US Light infantry Company with the strength of circa 100 troops will arrive at Santahamina to exercise with the Readiness Unit and 2. Military Police Company. The exercise and training activity cooperation will be participated by both conscripts and service personnel.

22.5.2021 | The mortar company of the Jaeger Brigade has continued conducting live fires in the exercise Northern Forest 21. This involves two fire platoons as well as the combat service supply and HQ platoons. During the exercise, the mortar platoons got to operate the heavy mortar 120KRH92 to fire smoke and fragmentation grenades. 

29.7.2022 | Bilateral special operations forces training activity with the USA will continue in Utti Jaeger Regiment on 31 July 2022.

19.5.2021 | The exercise Northern Forest 21 of the Army was set in operation on Wednesday 19 May 2021 as the artillery firing began.

8.7.2022 | In the Guard Jaeger Regiment, the Army complementary international exercise and training activity will continue on 11 July 2022 with the strength of circa 150 British Army troops that will arrive at Santahamina to exercise with the Readiness Unit and 2. Military Police Company.

30.4.2026 | The multinational air defence exercise Mallet Strike 1/26 will be conducted at the Lohtaja Firing Range and Training Area from 12 - 21 May 2026.

12.10.2022 | The Army Academy will arrange the Artillery School’s live fire exercise 2/22 in Niinisalo at the Pohjankangas range area on 17–21 October 2022. The exercise will be participated by international training audience partners from the US and from the UK.

14.4.2022 | The Armoured Brigade will lead the Army mechanised exercise Arrow 22 at Pohjankangas Niinisalo and in Säkylä on 2 – 13 May 2022. The exercise will also be participated by visiting forces from the UK, Latvia, the USA and Estonia.

25.8.2022 | To be held in Northern Finland in the area of Rovaniemi and Rovajärvi from 29 August to 2 September 2022, the Army field training exercise Vigilant Knife will be participated by international partners from Sweden and from the UK.

7.7.2022 | On 11 July led by the Jaeger Brigade, the Army complementary international exercise and training activity will start in Northern Finland.

12.8.2020 | In accordance with the Act on liability for military service, the Finnish Defence Forces’ Regional Offices will organise the call-ups running from 17.8. to 15.12.2020. Due to the coronavirus Covid-19 situation, some changes will be implemented in the overall call-up arrangements.

16.5.2022 | Based on a decision taken two years ago, the Army Academy was tasked to lead the exercise Lightning Strike 22, LIST 22, at Rovajärvi on 16-27 May 2022. Arrangements for this major military exercise drill began last year.

15.5.2023 | The exercise has a goal of developing leadership capabilities, joint operations, and international interoperability.

6.5.2022 | On 9-12 May 2022, the Guard Jaeger Regiment’s 2. Military Police Company will undertake training in the areas of Helsinki and Porvoo. The combat exercise will have conscripts of the January 2022 contingent to be trained for military police duty and conscript leaders of the July 2021 contingent undertake training involving target protection and defence, area surveillance, as well as first dispatcher fire team patrol.

15.6.2022 | Army complementary international exercise and training activity will start in Southern Finland led by the Guard Jaeger Regiment from 20 June 2022 onwards, whereas in Western Finland the complementary activity is scheduled to begin on 27 June led by the Pori Brigade, and in Northern Finland on 11 July led by the Jaeger Brigade. Personnel and equipment of international cooperation partners will arrive in Finland progressively.

19.5.2022 | Lieutenant (Res.) Mikko Kiuttu (the third from the right) participated in LIST22 at Rovajärvi.

22.6.2022 | The Utti Jaeger Regiment will hold a bilateral special operations forces exercise drill in cooperation with the USA in Finland on 27 June – 31 July 2022.

3.5.2021 | Organised in the Lohtaja range and training area from 17 to 27 May 2021, the National Air Defence Exercise 1/21 will be led by Inspector of Ground-Based Air Defence, Colonel Mikko Mäntynen. The exercise will be participated by units from all services. The total strength of the training audience will be up to circa 1,650 personnel, of whom slightly more than 100 will be reservists.

18.10.2022 | The Armoured Brigade will lead the Army mechanised exercise Hammer 22 at the Pohjankangas shooting and training area in Niinisalo from 31 October to 11 November 2022. Approximately 4100 persons will participate in the exercise, over half of them reservists. In addition to Finnish forces, troops from the U.S. Army will also take part in the exercise.

10.5.2021 | Part of the Finnish Defence Forces’ main exercise, the exercise Northern Forest 21 is the most important military exercise of the Army this year.

25.8.2021 | From 3 to 11 September 2021, the Finnish Defence Forces will train tasks of local defence across Finland. Apart from the Finnish Defence Forces, the exercises will also be participated by several agencies and organisations. Undertaking training strengthens local defence readiness in responding to rapid changes in the security situation, and develops inter-agency cooperation between authorities in disturbance situations.

9.11.2022 | The Finnish Defence Forces will celebrate the 105th Independence Day of Finland by a national parade on 6 December in Hamina. The theme of the parade is Security will be done together. The review of troops will be arranged on Hamina sports field and the pass in review on Kadettikoulunkatu. The Finnish Defence Forces’ and other agencies’ equipment will be on display for familiarisation at the square of the Finnish Flag. The events will be free of charge.

11.11.2022 | The Army mechanised exercise Hammer 22 comes to an end on Friday 11 November 2022. During the two-week exercise that had started on 31 October, reservists have had an opportunity to work on their skills as part of a mechanised battle group.  An approximately 200-strong training audience from the U.S. Army’s 6-9 Cavalry brought an international element to the exercise. The overall strength of the exercise was approximately 4100 persons, over half of them reservists. 

20.6.2019 | Officer Candidate Markus Lautala’s conscript service is coming to an end soon. He has served in Hamina for 347 days. Lautala hoped to meet challenging tasks while in the Army and managed to apply for those challenging tasks. Today, he musters out from service, solid trust in the skills and abilities that he leaned during his conscript service. He is aiming for a military career.

22.9.2021 | In the Army Academy, this week involves increased international activity in that the annual meeting of Nordic Inspectors of Engineers started on Tuesday 21 September 2021. This meeting convenes Inspectors of Engineers and their advisers to Lappeenranta from altogether four Nordic countries: Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland, this year’s host nation.

30.12.2021 | The Army Commander Change of Command Ceremony took place today, on 30 December, in Mikkeli.

9.6.2021 | The Utti Jaeger Regiment will organise a bilateral training exercise with the United States’ Special Operations Forces on 14-20 June 2021. The exercise will include helicopter activity.

11.5.2022 | The national parade on the Flag Day of the Finnish Defence Forces will be held in Helsinki on 4 June 2022. Along the review of troops and pass in review, the programme will also include an equipment display, and the Finnish Defence Forces’ summer tour concert, among others. All events will have free admission.

23.8.2022 | The Army will be training local defence across Finland 2–9 September 2022. The exercises will improve local troops’ readiness to carry out local combat and protection tasks and strengthen the authorities’ abilities to cooperate in situations of disruption everywhere in the country.

21.12.2021 | The new rifle system to be procured for the infantry increases the usability of snipers as well as the precision and range of infantry sections.

23.6.2021 | On 22.6.2021, Minister of Defence Antti Kaikkonen authorized the Defence Forces Logistics Command to procure a mid-life upgrade for the Army’s infantry fighting vehicle CV9030 fleet. The procurement will ensure the availability and extend the life cycle of the infantry fighting vehicles to the 2030s.

13.8.2018 | The Finnish Defence Forces’ 12 regional offices will organize call-ups in accordance with the Conscription Act between 5 August and 14 December 2018. The regional offices will organise 469 call-ups in 249 cities and towns across Finland. This year approximately 35,000 men will attend a call-up. All male Finnish citizens born in 2000 are liable to attend call-ups as well as those who have received notice to appear in front of a call-up board again.

12.2.2026 | The local defence exercise ”Karelian Stone 26” will be held in areas of Lappeenranta, Taipalsaari, Savitaipale, and Imatra during 2–6 March 2026.

18.11.2021 | The Finnish Defence Forces will celebrate the Finnish Independence Day by a national parade, part of heritage, in Lahti. The review of troops will take place at Kisapuisto Stadium and the pass-in-review on Vapaudenkatu. The Finnish Defence Forces’ equipment will be on display for familiarisation at Lahti market square. The arrangements of the event will consider the regional restrictions concerning public events to ensure sustained health security.

16.9.2019 | At the end of July, a training event with its focus on military working dog first aid took place in Karkialampi, Mikkeli. This training event piloting served in producing guidelines for future development of training in military working dog combat first aid. The training event was attended by service personnel from the Army Command and from the Police.

2.12.2019 | Finland organised a voluntary OSCE observation visit to the exercise Kaakko 19.

19.12.2018 | A total of circa 6,400 conscripts will be mustering out from the Finnish Army on Thursday 20 December 2018. Among those mustering out will also be Conscript Chaplain, Officer Candidate Penja Korkkonen. While carrying out the set service tasks, Officer Candidate Korkkonen has been able to utilise the competence accrued in civilian life in a variety of ways. On top of this, he has gained plenty of experience relevant in light of his future profession.

28.4.2020 | The Finnish Army ensures continuity and readiness of its activity in all situations. Currently, exceptional circumstances and the prevailing COVID-19 situation impose restrictions on the planned Army training activity, which has been adapted to prevent the coronavirus from spreading. Under these challenging circumstances, the Army will continue to do its utmost in ensuring that individuals’ and troops’ competences develop and that the troops meet their set training requirements.

10.6.2019 | Celebrating its bicentenary this year, the Guards Band will organise, among others, a festival weekend that takes place in Helsinki in June. Over the course of this weekend, music will play at market squares, on the ferry, in the parks, and even in a sauna. Also the Summer Tour of the Finnish Defence Forces’ will be performing in Suomenlinna.

21.5.2019 | Exercise Saber 19, led by the Guard Jaeger Regiment, is held in the Uusimaa region. The exercise is the final exercise of the conscripts who began their military service in January and are serving in rank-and-file duties, and for those conscript leaders, high-level readiness unit members and military drivers who began their service in July. Also participating in the exercise, is a light infantry unit of approximately 120 soldiers from the United Kingdom.

16.12.2019 | How does training culture affect conscripts’ intrinsic motivation? With its focus on determining exactly this, the pro gradu thesis produced by Captain Vesa Lassila indicates that a type of training culture that provides support for sustaining an individual’s skills and autonomy also informs the future sustaining and development of motivation.

14.6.2018 | On 14 June and 21 June 2018, altogether 7,720 conscripts and women who have completed voluntary military service will be mustered out from eight Finnish Army brigade-level units. One of those to be mustering out this June will be Corporal Inka Rytilahti who completed the service in the Jaeger Brigade.

16.4.2019 | The Finnish Army will participate in the exercise Kevadtorm / Spring Storm 19 organised in Estonia from 29 April to 12 May 2019. Comprising conscripts and service personnel, the total strength of the Finnish exercise detachment will be altogether 41 troops led by the Pori Brigade.

31.5.2019 | The Training 2020 Programme aims at developing the call-up system, service selections, instruction methods and the overall training system. The training involving soldiers’ capability to perform is one of the aims of the reform.

25.4.2019 | The Finnish Army will participate in the verification and testing event of Bold Quest 19.1 as part of its set training exercise activities. The Army Academy’s live-firing exercise will be organised in Rovajärvi from 30 April to 24 May 2019, and the Jaeger Brigade’s field exercise will be organised in Sodankylä from 11 to 25 May 2019. During the Bold Quest 19.1 event, the Operations Centre of the C5 systems branch will operate in Riihimäki.

27.8.2019 | The Finnish Army will conduct training in local defence tasks and missions by means of local defence exercises organised in South Ostrobothnia, Kainuu, Tavastia Proper, Central Finland, Kymenlaakso, Lapland, Pirkanmaa, and Uusimaa from 9 to 13 September 2019. These exercises serve to develop local defence readiness and capability as well as inter-authority interoperability in rapidly evolving situations over the entire territory of Finland.

26.9.2019 | Conscript training in the K9 armoured howitzer has commenced in the Jaeger Artillery Regiment of the Armoured Brigade for the conscript contingent of 2/2019.

7.10.2019 | Early September, the Jaeger Brigade began training combat engineer troops in the Lapland Jaeger Battalion in Sodankylä. The Jaeger Brigade provided this training previously in 1996.

5.6.2018 | As part of the Pohjoinen 18 exercise, the spearhead of the Kainuu Brigade and Jaeger Brigade comprise readiness units that are formed of both professional soldiers and conscripts.

14.3.2018 | On Wednesday 14 March 2018, altogether 808 conscripts as well as women who have completed voluntary military service will muster out into the reserve from the Finnish Army’s brigade-level units. Those mustering out now have served for 255 days and undertaken training in rank and file tasks that require special skills.

12.10.2020 | Soldiers’ capability for anti-tank measures becomes enhanced by procurement of the light anti-tank weapon 66 KES 12 and relating training weapon intended for every soldier’s use.

19.2.2019 | The Finnish Army will conduct training in local defence tasks and missions in Kymenlaakso, Lapland, Pirkanmaa, North Ostrobothnia, Satakunta, Uusimaa and Southwest Finland from 25 February to 8 March 2019. Altogether, approximately 3,400 conscripts, reservists and service personnel as well as some 500 vehicles will undertake training in total. Focusing on challenging surveillance and protection ta...

11.5.2019 | An integral part of the Finnish Defence Forces’ training exercise activities, combined exercise activities advance honing, verifying and validating leaders’ and troops’ competence proficiency and capability in measures relating to Finland’s national defence and multinational crisis management as well as providing and receiving international assistance. Now what does this armoured troops’ international interoperable cooperating denote and what is its significance?

9.11.2020 | Infantry soldiers’ night combat capability will be complemented by weapon and helmet lights as well as Identification Friend or Foe beacons. These new illumination devices are a part of the overall infantry night combat capability development and they will improve the soldiers’ performance in demanding operational environments.

1.7.2021 | The European Commission has granted funding for the development of innovative future vehicle solutions by the Armies of nine European Union nations. In Finland, the funding is used for developing arctic mobility by a project that seeks a replacement vehicle solution for the ageing and soon decommissioned all-terrain carrier fleet.

6.12.2018 | Address by Commander of the Finnish Army, Lieutenant General Petri Hulkko, at the National Independence Day Parade in Mikkeli on 6 December 2018.