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Rauma class missile boat

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Name
  
Rauma class

Operators
  
Finnish Navy

Succeeded by
  
Hamina class

Builders
  
Finnyards Hollming

Preceded by
  
Helsinki class

In commission
  
1990-present

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.

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program includes the installation of a new version of the 9LV225 control and command system made by SAAB (the Mk.3 has been replaced by a Mk.4), the replacement of the Mistral SAM missiles with a MASS decoy system.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 The sonar and ASW systems are being completely renewed (the previous Simrad ST 240 has been replaced by a ST2400).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.

The vessel 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 vessel had a portable Mistral SAM launcher pad that could be mounted on the ship's deck, or on land, in order to protect the moored vessel.

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.

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

Rauma-class missile boat Wikipedia