Rauma-class missile boat

The Rauma-class missile boats (Finnish: Rauma-luokan ohjusvene) are a class of missile boat in use by the Finnish Navy.

FNS Porvoo
Class overview
Name: Rauma class
Builders:
Operators:  Finnish Navy
Preceded by: Helsinki class
Succeeded by: Hamina class, Squadron 2020
In commission: 1990-present
Completed: 4
Active: 4
General characteristics
Type: Fast attack craft
Displacement: 240 tons
Length: 48.5 m (159 ft 1 in)
Beam: 8 m (26 ft 3 in)
Draught: 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in)
Installed power: 2 × MTU 16V 538 TB93 diesels, 6600 kW
Propulsion: 2 × Riva Calzoni IRC 115 waterjets
Speed: 34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph)
Complement: 19
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • Saab 9LV225 Mk4 Combat Management System
  • Saab CEROS 200 FCS
  • Saab Microwave System Sea Giraffe 9GA 208 Surface search radar
  • Raytheon ARPA Navigation radar
  • Kongsberg ST2400 Towed sonar
  • Finnyards Sonac/PTA towed array sonar
Electronic warfare
& decoys:
MASS decoy system
Armament:
  • 1 × Bofors 40 mm/70
  • 2 × NSV 12.7 mm machine guns
  • 6 × Saab RBS-15 Mk3 SSM
  • 2 × Saab Elma ASW-600 9-tube ASW mortars
  • Mine rails for tactical mines can be fitted instead of missiles

It is the predecessor of the Hamina-class missile boats. The ships were constructed at the Hollming yards and Finnyards in Rauma, Finland. All the ships have their home port in Pansio.

All four vessels underwent a 70 million EUR modernization program at the Western Shipyard in Teijo. The program includes the installation of a new version of the 9LV225 control and command system made by SAAB (the Mk.3 has been replaced by a Mk.4), the replacement of the Mistral SAM missiles with a MASS decoy system. The MASS system also replaces the Philax chaff and IR flares, the Thales Matilda radar warning system, and the six 103 mm rails for rocket illuminants, that were previously fitted. The sonar and ASW systems are being completely renewed (the previous Simrad ST 240 has been replaced by a ST2400). The modernization programme began late in 2010 with all four vessels expected to be ready by autumn 2013. The first vessel, Naantali, was handed over to the Finnish Navy in May 2013. The modernization will allow the vessels to be operational into the 2020s.[1]

The vessels were previously armed with a sextuple Mistral SAM launcher, which could be replaced by a Sako twin-barrel 23 mm/87 anti-aircraft cannon (a modified version of the ZU-23-2). Additionally the vessels had a portable Mistral SAM launcher pad that could be mounted on the ship's deck, or on land, in order to protect them when moored.

On 18 February 2015, the Finnish media reported that the Rauma class has been banned from use after fatigue damage was discovered in the vessels' hull.[2]

Vessels

FNS Rauma
Pennant number: 70
Builder: Hollming
Ordered: 27 August 1987
Commissioned: 18 October 1990
Home base: Pansio
Current state: In active service.
FNS Raahe
Pennant number: 71
Builder: Hollming
Commissioned: 20 August 1991
Modernized: 26 June 2013
Home base: Pansio
Current state: In active service
FNS Porvoo
Pennant number: 72
Builder: Finnyards
Commissioned: 27 April 1992
Home base: Pansio
Current state: In active service
FNS Naantali
Pennant number: 73
Builder: Finnyards
Commissioned: 23 June 1992
Modernized: 20 May 2013
Home base: Pansio
Current state: In active service

References

  1. The Finnish Defence Forces
  2. Rauma-luokan ohjusveneet käyttökieltoon. Turun Sanomat, 18 February 2015. Retrieved 2015-02-18.
  • "Finnish Defence Forces". Retrieved August 28, 2005.
  • "Aker Finnyards". Retrieved August 28, 2005.
  • "FNS Rauma - Unofficial Website". Archived from the original on 2005-04-21. Retrieved August 28, 2005.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.