Rauma Marine Constructions has completed the hull for the first Pohjanmaa-class multi-purpose corvette on order for the Finnish Navy. (Finnish Navy)
Finnish shipbuilder Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) has completed construction of the hull of the first Pohjanmaa-class multirole corvette on order for the Finnish Navy, marking another milestone for the Squadron 2020 programme.
In a 4 February statement the Finnish Defence Forces' Logistics Command said the hull was officially completed at the end of 2024 and the covering that protected the vessel during the painting phase was removed at the beginning of February.
The vessel will now continue fitting-out activities at RMC in preparation for its launch, which is planned to take place during the second quarter, it said.
RMC is delivering four Pohjanmaa-class multirole corvettes in total for the Finnish Navy under a EUR647.6 million (USD687.8 million) design and construction contract awarded in 2019 – with the build being carried out by its subsidiary RMC Defence. The corvettes are being constructed in a new covered assembly hall built specifically for the Squadron 2020 programme, measuring 180×40×30 m and with a floor area of about 13,000 m².
Two ships are currently under construction, with the third planned to start later in 2025.
Manufacturing activities for the lead ship commenced in October 2023 and the vessel was laid down in April 2024. A steel-cutting ceremony for the second ship took place in October 2024.
Under current planning, first-of-class sea trials will take place in 2026 and the ship will be delivered and commissioned into service in 2027. All four ships are planned to be delivered and operational by about 2029.
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