Helsinki-class
Finnish Helsinki-class corvette, introduced in 1981, has a maximum speed of 32 knots.
| Subtype | Fast attack craft |
| Displacement | 300 tons |
| Crew | 30 members |
| Width | 8.9 m (29.2 ft) |
| Length | 45.0 m (147.6 ft) |
| Propulsion | 3 × MTU 16V 538 TB92, 9,000 kW (combined), Three shafts |
| Maximum speed | 32 knots |
- 1 × Bofors 57 mm/70 Mk1
- 2 × Sako twin-barreled 23 mm/87 (modified ZU-23-2)
- 8 × Saab RBS-15 SSM
- 2 × rails for depth charges
Description
The Helsinki class is a series of four fast attack craft constructed by Wärtsilä Helsinki Shipyard for the Finnish Navy. The class succeeded the Tuima-class and was followed by the Rauma-class design.
The Finnish Navy designated these vessels as missile boats. The design utilizes a three-shaft propulsion system and a sensor suite that includes surface search and navigation radars, a fire control radar, an optical director, and both hull-mounted and towed array sonar. Electronic warfare and self-protection equipment consists of radar warning receivers, chaff and infrared flare launchers, and rails for rocket illuminants. The vessels are armed with Saab RBS-15 surface-to-surface missiles, a Bofors dual-purpose main gun, Sako twin-barreled anti-aircraft guns, and depth charge rails.
The class entered Finnish service between 1981 and 1986, with all units homeported at Pansio. A proposed mid-life upgrade scheduled for 2006–2008 was cancelled due to budget constraints, leading to the decommissioning of the vessels from Finnish service. The Helsinki and Turku were removed from service in 2002 and used for testing purposes before being scrapped in 2011. The remaining two vessels, Oulu and Kotka, were sold to the Croatian Navy in 2008 as part of an offset agreement following the Croatian purchase of Patria AMV vehicles. After undergoing a refit and repainting, the Croatian Navy commissioned the vessels in January 2009 as Vukovar (RTOP-41) and Dubrovnik (RTOP-42). These units remain in active service.