Hamina class missile boat
Encyclopedia
The Hamina class missile boat is a 4-strong class of fast attack craft
of the Finnish Navy
. Technically they are classified as "missile fast attack craft", ohjusvene, literally "missile boat" in Finnish.
s, all fast attack craft have been named after Finnish coastal cities. It was previously known also as Rauma 2000 following its predecessor the Rauma class
.
When all of the four vessels are finished they will form what the Finnish Navy calls Squadron 2000 . The Finnish Navy considered several different compositions for these new squadrons, at one point only two Hamina class vessels and four Tuuli class
ACV
were to be built. After a strategic shift of the Finnish Navy's role, the composition of the Squadron 2000 followed suit. The prototype of Tuuli class has never been fully equipped, or fitted for operational use, instead two more Hamina class boats have been built. The fourth and final Hamina class ship was delivered in summer 2006.
The squadron reached its full operative capability in 2008 and has greatly improved the surface- and air patrol as well as air defense capacity. Their electronic surveillance suite also increases the quality of information available for military leaders.
All ships were built at Aker Finnyards in Rauma
, Finland
. The vessels have their home base at Upinniemi
.
and the superstructures are constructed of re-enforced carbon fiber
composite. The vessels have a very low displacement and are very maneuverable. They are equipped with water jet
s instead of propellers, which allow them to operate in very shallow waters and accelerate, slow down and turn in unconventional ways.
The Hamina class are very potent vessels, boasting surveillance and fire-power capacities, which are usually found in ships twice the size.
The Hamina class has been designed and constructed as stealth ship
s with minimal magnetic, heat and radar signatures.
The shape of the vessel has been designed to reduce radar
signature. Metal parts have been covered with radar absorbent material
, and the composite parts have radar absorbent material embedded in the structure. Radar transparent materials (kevlar
, balsa
) have been used where applicable.
Unlike glass fiber, carbon fiber blocks radio waves. This protects ship's electronics against electromagnetic pulse
. In addition, it stops any radio frequency signals generated by ships electronic devices to escape outside.
Except for the bridge, the vessel has no windows that would allow the signals to escape.
The vessel contains hardly any steel parts, thus generating very low magnetic field. The remaining magnetic field is actively canceled with electromagnet
s.
Exhaust gases can be directed underwater to minimize thermal signature, or up in the air to minimize sound in submarines direction.
50 nozzles around the decks and upper structures can be used to spray seawater on the vessel to cool it.
In addition, the nozzles can be used to clean the ship after chemical attack or radioactive fall-out.
surface-to-air missile system can simultaneously engage a maximum of eight aircraft, up to 14 km away, while the vessel's anti-ship missiles have a range in excess of 100 km.
The Hamina class' primary weaponry is four RBS-15 Mk.3
anti-ship missiles. The vessels are further equipped with a Bofors 57 mm gun
against surface and aerial targets as well as the Umkhonto-IR
surface-to-air missiles, MASS decoy system and two 12.7 mm heavy machine guns. It is also possible to use the ships for mine-laying.
The software of the centralized combat control system is COTS oriented, built on top of Linux running on redundant x86 rack servers, which makes maintenance and future updates and optimizations simpler.
FNS Tornio
FNS Hanko
FNS Pori
Fast Attack Craft
Fast Attack Craft are small, fast, agile and offensive warships, that are armed with anti-ship missiles, guns or torpedoes. These are usually operated in close proximity to land as they lack both the sea-keeping and all-round defensive capabilities to survive in blue water. The size of the vessel...
of 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"...
. Technically they are classified as "missile fast attack craft", ohjusvene, literally "missile boat" in Finnish.
History
The vessels were built in the late 1990s, early 2000s, and are the fourth generation of Finnish missile craft. The first vessel was ordered in December 1996 and the fourth was handed over on 19 June 2006. Since the launch of the Helsinki class missile boatHelsinki class missile boat
The Helsinki class missile boats are a type of vessel which were in use by the Finnish Navy. They were the predecessors of the Rauma class missile boats...
s, all fast attack craft have been named after Finnish coastal cities. It was previously known also as Rauma 2000 following its predecessor the Rauma class
Rauma class missile boat
The Rauma class missile boats are a type of vessels in use by the Finnish Navy.It is the predecessor of the Hamina class missile boats. The ships were constructed at the Hollming yards and Finnyards in Rauma, Finland...
.
When all of the four vessels are finished they will form what the Finnish Navy calls Squadron 2000 . The Finnish Navy considered several different compositions for these new squadrons, at one point only two Hamina class vessels and four 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...
ACV
Hovercraft
A hovercraft is a craft capable of traveling over surfaces while supported by a cushion of slow moving, high-pressure air which is ejected against the surface below and contained within a "skirt." Although supported by air, a hovercraft is not considered an aircraft.Hovercraft are used throughout...
were to be built. After a strategic shift of the Finnish Navy's role, the composition of the Squadron 2000 followed suit. The prototype of Tuuli class has never been fully equipped, or fitted for operational use, instead two more Hamina class boats have been built. The fourth and final Hamina class ship was delivered in summer 2006.
The squadron reached its full operative capability in 2008 and has greatly improved the surface- and air patrol as well as air defense capacity. Their electronic surveillance suite also increases the quality of information available for military leaders.
All ships were built at Aker Finnyards 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...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. The vessels have their home base at Upinniemi
Upinniemi
Upinniemi is a village in the municipality of Kirkkonummi in southern Finland. It is located approximately 12 km south of the municipal centre....
.
Design
The vessel's hull is constructed of aluminiumAluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
and the superstructures are constructed of re-enforced carbon fiber
Carbon fiber
Carbon fiber, alternatively graphite fiber, carbon graphite or CF, is a material consisting of fibers about 5–10 μm in diameter and composed mostly of carbon atoms. The carbon atoms are bonded together in crystals that are more or less aligned parallel to the long axis of the fiber...
composite. The vessels have a very low displacement and are very maneuverable. They are equipped with water jet
Water jet
Water jet has several meanings including :* Water jet cutter, a tool for cutting virtually any material* Water jet cleaning and surface preparation, a tool for cleaning and surface preparation using ultra-high pressure waterjet...
s instead of propellers, which allow them to operate in very shallow waters and accelerate, slow down and turn in unconventional ways.
The Hamina class are very potent vessels, boasting surveillance and fire-power capacities, which are usually found in ships twice the size.
Stealth technology
Stealth ship
A stealth ship is a ship which employs stealth technology construction techniques in an effort to ensure that it is harder to detect by one or more of radar, visual, sonar, and infrared methods...
s with minimal magnetic, heat and radar signatures.
The shape of the vessel has been designed to reduce radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
signature. Metal parts have been covered with radar absorbent material
Radar absorbent material
Radar-absorbent material, or RAM, is a class of materials used in stealth technology to disguise a vehicle or structure from radar detection. A material's absorbency at a given frequency of radar wave depends upon its composition...
, and the composite parts have radar absorbent material embedded in the structure. Radar transparent materials (kevlar
Kevlar
Kevlar is the registered trademark for a para-aramid synthetic fiber, related to other aramids such as Nomex and Technora. Developed at DuPont in 1965, this high strength material was first commercially used in the early 1970s as a replacement for steel in racing tires...
, balsa
Balsa
Ochroma pyramidale, commonly known as the balsa tree , is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family, Malvaceae. It is a large, fast-growing tree that can grow up to tall. It is the source of balsa wood, a very lightweight material with many uses...
) have been used where applicable.
Unlike glass fiber, carbon fiber blocks radio waves. This protects ship's electronics against electromagnetic pulse
Electromagnetic pulse
An electromagnetic pulse is a burst of electromagnetic radiation. The abrupt pulse of electromagnetic radiation usually results from certain types of high energy explosions, especially a nuclear explosion, or from a suddenly fluctuating magnetic field...
. In addition, it stops any radio frequency signals generated by ships electronic devices to escape outside.
Except for the bridge, the vessel has no windows that would allow the signals to escape.
The vessel contains hardly any steel parts, thus generating very low magnetic field. The remaining magnetic field is actively canceled with electromagnet
Electromagnet
An electromagnet is a type of magnet in which the magnetic field is produced by the flow of electric current. The magnetic field disappears when the current is turned off...
s.
Exhaust gases can be directed underwater to minimize thermal signature, or up in the air to minimize sound in submarines direction.
50 nozzles around the decks and upper structures can be used to spray seawater on the vessel to cool it.
In addition, the nozzles can be used to clean the ship after chemical attack or radioactive fall-out.
Weapons
The Hamina class have the latest in surveillance and weapons technology all integrated into an intelligent command system. A Hamina class vessel can monitor about 200 km of air space and its UmkhontoUmkhonto 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 system can simultaneously engage a maximum of eight aircraft, up to 14 km away, while the vessel's anti-ship missiles have a range in excess of 100 km.
The Hamina class' primary weaponry is four RBS-15 Mk.3
RBS15
The RBS-15 is a long-range fire-and-forget surface-to-surface and air-to-surface, anti-ship missile. The later version Mk. III has the ability to attack land targets as well...
anti-ship missiles. The vessels are further equipped with a Bofors 57 mm gun
Bofors 57 mm gun
The Bofors 57 mm guns are a series of dual-purpose naval guns designed and produced by the Swedish defence firm of Bofors Defence...
against surface and aerial targets as well as the Umkhonto-IR
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 missiles, MASS decoy system and two 12.7 mm heavy machine guns. It is also possible to use the ships for mine-laying.
The software of the centralized combat control system is COTS oriented, built on top of Linux running on redundant x86 rack servers, which makes maintenance and future updates and optimizations simpler.
Vessels
FNS Hamina- Pennant number: 80.
- Builder: Aker Finnyards.
- Ordered: December, 1996.
- Commissioned: August 24, 1998.
- Home base: Upinniemi.
- Current status: In active service.
FNS Tornio
- Pennant number: 81.
- Builder: Aker Finnyards.
- Ordered: February 15, 2001.
- Commissioned: May 12, 2003.
- Home base: Upinniemi.
- Current status: In active service.
FNS Hanko
- Pennant number: 82.
- Builder: Aker Finnyards.
- Ordered: December 3, 2003.
- Commissioned: June 22, 2005.
- Home base: Upinniemi.
- Current status: In active service.
FNS Pori
- Pennant number: 83.
- Builder: Aker Finnyards.
- Ordered: February 15, 2005.
- Commissioned: June 19, 2006.
- Home base: Upinniemi.
- Current status: In active service.
Similar ships
- Houbei class missile boatHoubei class missile boatThe Houbei class missile boat is a class in the People's Liberation Army Navy. The first boat was launched in April 2004 by the Qiuxin Shipbuilding Factory at Shanghai. The boats incorporate stealth features and wave-piercing catamaran hulls...
- Skjold class patrol boatSkjold class patrol boatThe Skjold class patrol boats is a new class of superfast, large stealth missile craft, formerly known as MTBs . From 2009, the Royal Norwegian Navy officially label them as coastal corvettes because their seaworthiness is seen as comparable to corvettes. They are built at the Umoe Mandal yard...
- Roussen Class FACMRoussen Class FACMThe Roussen class is a 7-strong class of British-designed Fast Attack Craft for the Hellenic Navy. The class is named after its lead ship, which in turn is named after Lt Nikolaos Roussen, a World War II submarines officer who was killed in the suppression of the Navy mutiny in April...
External links
- Finnish Navy: Hamina-Luokan Ohjusvene - Video that demonstrates how a squadron of Hamina class missile boats co-operate to counter aerial and marine attacks.