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First-of-class undergoes extensive tests, while ship three heads for sea trials in 2013The Finnish Navy accepted its second Katanpää-class mine countermeasures (MCM) vessel from shipbuilding company Intermarine, in a ceremony on 20 August in La Spezia, Italy.

With support from the Italian Navy, the 680 ton (full load) Purunpää has conducted more than 60 days of sea trials to date. Under current plans, the vessel will be transported to Finland by ship in early September, arriving later in the month or early in October.

Purunpää faced many unexpected issues in build, including heavy floods at Intermarine's shipyard and the challenge of integrating a complex mine-hunting system, said the Finnish Navy's commander-in-chief Rear Admiral Veli-Jukka Pennala at the ceremony.

In the year since its arrival in Finland, first-of-class Katanpää has been undertaking further platform trials, including shock-testing and operational evaluation in extreme environmental conditions such as heavy ice. In terms of ice capability, "this is the only ice-going mine-hunter in the world," but one which has "fulfilled the Finnish Navy's expectations", said Adm Pennala. The vessel was able to navigate through ice up to 10 cm thick, using both its own propulsion system and following a tug through broken ice, he added.

Commander Kristian Isberg, chief of the project section in the MCMV 2010 programme, said that Katanpää had also undertaken vessel signature trials and live explosive charge tests, to verify hull and onboard system responses to mine explosions. According to Intermarine, this was the first time its MCM vessels had been subjected to such tests at sea.

With Katanpää 's trials programme moving on to MCM equipment testing, Cdr Isberg noted: "We expect to test and operate the MCM equipment and command-and-control system in ice conditions next winter [2013-14]."

Upon arriving in Finland, Purunpää will undertake further trials until the end of 2013, when the crew will commence full training.

Third-in-class Vahterpää is currently conducting harbour acceptance activities, with sea trials - including MCM testing - expected to begin before the end of 2013. Delivery is expected in the early summer of 2014, said Cdr Isberg.

Adm Pennala confirmed his "full confidence that all the requirements will be met in the coming months, delivering to the Finnish Navy a modern and fully operational squadron of MCM [vessels] by 2017".

Construction on the Finnish Border Guard's new offshore patrol vessel (OPV) has started with the keel laying at STX Finland Oy's Rauma Shipyard, as part of an agreement signed on 21 December 2011.

Built by STX Finland, the new OPV is expected to boost Finland's maritime search-and-rescue capabilities, especially during events that lead to multiple consequences.

The 96m-long and 17m-wide vessel, which has yet to be named, will feature advanced, environmentally friendly technologies to meet government requirements for decision-in-principle on sustainable public procurement.

STX Finland Oy's Rauma Shipyard director Toivo Ilvonen said: "Now it is time to begin the assembly of the ship's hull, and thus the ship will gradually find its final form by the end of July."

Scheduled for delivery in November 2013, the OPV will be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) and diesel, for energy efficiency and safe operations to suit individual accident situations.

Capable of supporting a variety of underwater assignments both independently and in collaboration with other authorities, the vessel will be used by the Finnish Border Guard to conduct border safety and frontier supervision missions, such as maritime search-and-rescue and military national defence.

In addition to damage control capacity to ensure reliability of operation at sea, the ship will feature emergency towing capabilities for enhanced protection of sea transport from damage.

Finnish Frontier Guard headquarters technical department navy chief captain Jukka Jaakkola said: "The new colour scheme of the vessel has also been designed to provide support for our operations on the open sea, in an international operating environment."

Cassidian has been awarded a contract to deliver and integrate its TRS-3D naval radar on board the new OPV by mid-2013.

La construction du nouveau patrouilleur hauturier des garde-côtes finlandais, qui sera propulsé au gaz naturel liquéfié, a débuté. La découpe de la première tôle du navire est intervenue le 22 octobre au chantier STX de Rauma, en Finlande. Long de 96 mètres pour une largeur de 17 mètres, cet OPV (Offshore Patrol Vessel), qui sera le premier du genre à être équipé d’une propulsion diesel/GNL doit être livré en novembre 2013....

Le motoriste britannique a été retenu par la marine finlandaise pour équiper ses futures vedettes d’assaut amphibie d’hydrojets de la gamme Kamewa. Douze bateaux du type U700 ont été commandés en octobre dernier au chantier Marine Alutech de Salo, au sud-ouest de la Finlande. Livrables entre 2014 et 2016, les U700 mesureront 19 mètres de long pour 5 mètres de large. Mis en œuvre par un équipage de 7 hommes, ils pourront transporter 25 soldats avec leurs équipements et disposeront d’un canon télé-opéré de 12.7mm.

Conçus pour la projection d’unités conventionnelles ou de forces spéciales, les U700 auront des formes furtives et seront très rapides, avec une vitesse de plus de 40 nœuds.

D’ici l’été, l’assemblage du nouveau bâtiment des garde-côtes finlandais, premier patrouilleur à disposer d’une propulsion au gaz naturel liquéfié, devrait être achevé. Mis sur cale le 25 février au chantier STX Finland de Rauma, le navire doit être livré en novembre prochain....

Lire l'intégralité de l'article sur Mer et Marine :

http://www.meretmarine.com/fr/content/le-nouveau-patrouilleur-des-garde-cotes-finlandais-en-construction

 

Rolls-Royce, the global power systems company, has won a contract to supply water jets to power Marine Alutech Oy Ab’s new WatercatTM M18 AMC high speed troop transport craft, that are currently under construction for the Finnish Navy.
The boats, classified as U700, are designed and built by the Marine Alutech shipyard in Teijo, Finland, which specialises in patrol and military vessels.
The contract, for 12 craft, will involve the supply of Rolls-Royce 40A3 water jets (two per craft), and a state-of-art control system that will enhance the manoeuvring capabilities of the vessels....
...The 19 metre long vessels will be able to reach speeds in excess of 40 knots and are suitable for a range of duties including troop transportation, medical and evacuation tasks, and landing operations. They are designed to operate in archipelago, coastal and offshore conditions, and will enter service from the middle of 2014.
Water jets enable operation in shallow waters and offer higher speeds and better manoeuvrability than conventional propellers. These features are particularly relevant for the shallow coastlines around Finland and the demands set for landing operations....