Finland’s border guard to deploy two new patrol vessels next winter

Finland’s Border Guard will commission two new offshore patrol vessels starting next winter, with the first, named Karhu, entering service by the end of this year and the second following in early 2027, the agency told Yle.

Both vessels are equipped with advanced drone detection capabilities and, if necessary, the ability to shoot down drones. The Border Guard confirmed the ships have “effective response capacity.”

The new vessels will perform a range of tasks, including monitoring and securing territorial integrity, surveillance of underwater activity, environmental incident response, and demanding maritime rescue operations. Each can evacuate up to 600 people in its interior spaces and accommodate helicopter landings on deck.

With the additions, the Border Guard will operate a total of three large offshore patrol vessels. The older vessel Turva remains in service, with its equipment being upgraded on an accelerated schedule, including enhanced drone defense systems. The agency recently received €44 million in supplementary funding from the state to improve its drone countermeasures.

All three vessels will be based at the port of Lappohja in Hanko and will operate across Finland’s maritime areas as needed.