Finland Is Building Warships Designed to Fight Through Baltic Winters

Finland's next generation of warships must handle a demanding combination: navigating ice, hunting submarines and protecting the shipping routes that supply the country.

The four Pohjanmaa-class corvettes are designed for year-round Baltic operations. The third was launched on October 29, with all four planned for completion by 2029.

Why winter capability matters

Sea transport carried 95.2% of Finland's foreign trade by tonnage in 2025. Protecting those maritime connections is one of the new ships' central missions, alongside minelaying and defending against attacks from the sea.

That requirement shaped the engineering beneath the hull. The propulsion system must combine strength for ice navigation, efficiency in open water and low underwater noise for submarine hunting.

Developer Railotech used modelling and full-scale trials aboard existing Finnish vessels to refine the design. Hull-mounted sensors will also measure ice loads, giving crews information to guide speed and navigation decisions. Equipment is being winterised to cope with freezing spray and icy precipitation.

Built for several missions

Each 117-metre corvette will carry weapons for threats above, below and across the water, including air-defence missiles, Gabriel anti-ship missiles and lightweight torpedoes. Sonar systems will support submarine detection. RMC lists an endurance of 14 days.

Together, the four ships will replace capabilities spread across seven older vessels, giving Finland a fleet designed to sustain maritime defence through the Baltic's changing seasons.