Finnish Defence Forces Present Reform Concept

February 8, 2012 defpro.com

At the end of January, the Finnish Defence Forces submitted its proposed Defence Forces Reform Concept to the government leadership for deliberation. The President of the Republic and the Cabinet Committee on Foreign and Security Policy discussed this issue in their meeting on 8 February 2012. The Cabinet Committee has considered the Defence Forces Reform in two earlier meetings in December 2011 and January 2012. The preparation of the Concept will continue under the direction of the Ministry of Defence. Together with the Defence Forces and the Ministry of Defence, the government announced the policy decisions in a joint press conference held after the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Foreign and Security Policy.

The primary objective of the reform is to ensure that the Defence Forces are capable of fulfilling their task and maintaining Finland's military defence capability. General conscription will remain the foundation of the military defence capability and the development of conscription will continue. The Defence Forces' tasks, size and daily activities will be proportionate to the available funding.

As a result of the Defence Forces Reform, the wartime strength will decrease and the number of personnel will be reduced. The need to decrease the number of personnel by 2015 means approximately 2,200 persons. The organisational structure will be changed into a three-tier structure. The regional commands as echelons will be abolished. Five brigade-level units are to be closed down: the North Karelia Brigade, Air Force Aircraft and Weapon Systems Training Wing, Engineer Regiment, Häme Regiment and Training Air Wing. The naval commands in their present form will be abolished and maritime surveillance will be concentrated in the Naval Operations Centre. The Kotka Coastal Battalion will be disbanded and the training of the coastal troops will be concentrated in Upinniemi and Dragsvik. The air commands in their present form will be abolished and surveillance will be concentrated in the Air Operations Centre.

The reform will bring the establishment of larger brigade-level units by functionally merging the Lapland Air Defence Regiment with the Jaeger Brigade, the Reserve Officer School with the Army Academy, the Signal Regiment with the Armoured Brigade and the Artillery Brigade with the Pori Brigade.

In all three services the structure of the brigade-level units will be reformed and made lighter by centralising administration and leaning on logistics arrangements and support services that are more centrally produced. Less important real-estate and areas will be relinquished.

During February 2012, the Defence Forces will receive a circular concerning the reform. Detailed planning will be started up according to the policy outlined in the circular. The implementation phase of the reform will begin in June. Government bills relating to the Defence Forces Reform will be submitted to Parliament for deliberation during the autumn plenary session of 2012. The changes to the administrative structure will be implemented during 2013-2014. The new organisation and mode of operation of the Defence Forces will be enabled at the beginning of 2015.

To download the Finnish Defence Forces reform concept, please go to http://goo.gl/B6vmC (PDF 402KB, 16 pages)