Given their pit bull performance in the Winter and Continuation Wars, I wouldn't want to be the ones to have to take them on. All they have to do is deter the Russians, and they can consider themselves successful. If they have to fight in their corner of the world, however, they will do some serious damage with these missiles.
The U.S. State Department has cleared a pair of first-time missile sales for Finland’s navy that could top $730 million in total.
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The first package covers 68 Evolved Seasparrow Missiles (ESSM) and one ESSM inert operational missile, along with associated parts and technical expertise, with an estimated cost of $112.7 million. These weapons are for use on Finland’s new Squadron 2020 class Corvette ships.
The second package, which comes with an estimated price tag of $622 million, covers a mix of surface launched Harpoon weapons, which will go on Finland’s Hamina class ships, Multirole Corvette ships, and Coastal Batteries.
Included in this package are 100 RGM-84Q-4 Harpoon Block II Plus Extended Range (ER) Grade B Surface-Launched Missiles, 12 RGM-84L-4 Harpoon Block II Grade B Surface-Launched Missiles, 12 RGM-84Q-4 Harpoon Block II+ ER Grade B Surface-Launched Upgrade Kits, four RTM-84L-4 Harpoon Block II Grade B Exercise Surface-Launched Missiles, and four RTM-84Q-4 Harpoon Block II+ ER Grade B Exercise Surface-Launched Missiles.
On a per-capita basis, that would be like the USA buying 8,882 Harpoons - if you only count the 100 Block II ER.
someone is going a Viking!
ReplyDeleteIf I could get a crew together for my longship, I'd do that in a second. I hear there's lots of gold in California for the taking.
DeleteIt should be noted that Finland isn’t even a NATO member. Wow, a nation that takes its own defense seriously without relying on others. Refreshing.
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