Helsinki-class missile boat

Helsinki-class missile boat (Finnish: Helsinki-luokan ohjusvene) is a class of four fast attack craft built for the Finnish Navy. All the ships were constructed at the Wärtsilä Helsinki Shipyard, Finland, and had Pansio as their homeport.

Dubrovnik (RTOP-42) in the Lora naval base, August 2011
Class overview
NameHelsinki
BuildersWärtsilä Helsinki Shipyard
Operators
Preceded byTuima-class missile boat
Succeeded byRauma-class missile boat
In service
  • 1981–2007 (Finland)
  • 2008– (Croatia)
Completed4
Active2
Scrapped2
General characteristics
TypeFast attack craft
Displacement300 tons
Length45 m (148 ft)[1]
Beam8.9 m (29 ft)[1]
Draught3 m (10 ft)
Installed power
  • 3 × MTU 16V 538 TB92[1]
  • 9,000 kW (combined)
PropulsionThree shafts
Speed32 knots (59 km/h; 37 mph)
Complement30
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Philips 9LV 225 fire control radar
  • Saab EOS400 optical director
  • 9GA 208 Surface search radar[1]
  • Raytheon ARPA Navigation radar
  • Simrad SS304 hull mounted sonar[1]
  • Finnyards Sonac/PTA towed array sonar[1]
Electronic warfare
& decoys
  • Philax chaff and IR flairs
  • ESM: Argo Systems radar warning system
  • 6 × 103 mm rails for rocket illuminants
Armament

Service

The vessels were designed as fast attack crafts, but designated "missile boats" in the Finnish Navy, as to tone down their offensive capabilities. They were armed with up to eight RBS-15 SSMs, one dual-purpose Bofors 57 mm gun, two SAKO 23 mm double-barreled anti-aircraft guns and two depth charge racks.

During the late 1990s, the class was due to undergo a mid-life upgrade through 2006–2008 but this was rejected because of budget constraints. The ships were decommissioned from Finnish service, and Helsinki and Turku were used for testing purposes before they were scrapped in 2011.

Two of the vessels were sold to the Croatian Navy for a price of €9 million (65 million kuna)[2] as a part of an off-set deal for the previous Croatian purchase of 126 Patria AMV vehicles.

The ships arrived in Croatia on 2 November 2008. They underwent a basic refit and repainting, and entered service in January 2009. According to current plans the ships are scheduled to stay active until 2020–2022.

Ships
Name
(original)		 Pennant number
(original)		 Commissioned Status
Helsinki
60
 1 September 1981. Decommissioned in 2002; scrapped.
Turku
61
 3 June 1985. Decommissioned in 2002; scrapped.
Oulu
62
 1 October 1985. Decommissioned in 2008 and sold to Croatia as RTOP-41 Vukovar.
Kotka
63
 16 June 1986. Decommissioned in 2008 and sold to Croatia as RTOP-42 Dubrovnik.

References
  1. "Ukrcaj budućih brodova HRM-a". hrvatski-vojnik.hr. October 2008. Archived from the original on 12 November 2013. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
  2. "Dvije finske raketne topovnjače vrijedne devet milijuna eura stižu u Hrvatsku". index.hr. October 2008. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
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