Armoured Brigade (Finland)

The Armoured Brigade (Finnish: Panssariprikaati) is a Finnish Army training unit located in Parolannummi, near Hämeenlinna, in southern Finland. The brigade specialises in training armoured and anti-aircraft troops. In case of mobilization, the Finnish Defence Forces would field one armoured brigade. The war-time armoured brigade has a strength of around 5,700 men, and fields 63 main battle tanks, 110 infantry fighting vehicles, circa 100 armoured personnel carriers, mainly of Soviet origin, and roughly 70 other armoured vehicles. However, the remaining war-time armoured brigade is being phased out and replaced by smaller mechanized battle groups. The new mechanized battle groups will field the Leopard 2 MBTs that are not included in the organization of the contemporary war-time armoured brigades.

Armoured Brigade
Panssariprikaati
Insignia of the Armoured Brigade.
Active1942–1944 Panssaridivisioona (Armoured Division)
1946–1952: Kevyt Prikaati (Light Brigade)
1952–: Panssariprikaati (Armoured Brigade)
Country Finland
Branch Finnish Army
TypeHeavy armoured
Size1,700 conscripts, 600 career personnel[1]
GarrisonParolannummi, Hattula
Flag
MarchParolan marssi [2]
Anniversaries28.6 - Founding of the Finnish Armoured Division [3]
EquipmentLeopard 2A4
BMP-2
EngagementsKuuterselkä
Äyräpää
Tali-Ihantala
Commanders
Current
commander		Colonel Tero Ylitalo
Notable
commanders		Major General Ruben Lagus, General Ari Puheloinen

Organisation

Since Finnish Defence Forces reform in 2015, the structure of the Armoured Brigade is the following:[4]

  • Häme Armoured Battalion (HämPsP, Hämeen Panssaripataljoona)
    • Military Police Company (SpolK, Sotilaspoliisikomppania)
    • Tank Company (PsvK, Panssarivaunukomppania)
    • Armoured Jäger Company (PsJK, Panssarijääkärikomppania)
    • Armoured Pioneer Company (PsPionK, Panssaripioneerikomppania)
  • Helsinki Anti-Aircraft Regiment (HelItR, Helsingin Ilmatorjuntarykmetti)
    • Command Post Battery (Johtokeskuspatteri)
    • Armoured Anti-Aircraft Battery (Panssari-ilmatorjuntapatteri)
    • 1st & 2nd Anti-Aircraft Missile Batteries (1. & 2. Ohjusilmatorjuntapatteri)
    • NCO School (Aliupseerikoulu)
  • Jäger Artillery Regiment (JTR, Jääkäritykistörykmentti)
    • Armoured Signals Company (PSVIESTIK, Panssariviestikomppania)
    • Self-Propelled Howitzer Battery (PsHPtri, Panssarihaupitsipatteri)
    • Mortar Company (KrhK, Kranaatinheitinkomppania)
    • Command & Control Company (JoJäK, Johtamisjärjestelmäkomppania)
  • Parola Supply Battalion (ParHP, Parolan Huoltopataljoona)
  • Logistics Centre (Huoltokeskus)
  • Electronic Warfare Center (Elektronisen sodankäynnin keskus)

The Armoured Band (Panssarisoittokunta) was disbanded in 2013 as part of the FDF reform.[5] After disbandment of Military Music School and Häme Regiment, the Conscript band was attached under Armored Brigade's command.[6] Following the disbandment of Signals Regiment in 2014, the Center of Electronic Warfare was attached to the brigade.[7] Armoured School, which trains reserve officers and career personnel was attached to Army Academy in 2015.[8]

Training equipment
  • Leopard 2A4 including Leopard 2R demining vehicle and Leopard 2L Bridge layer
  • BMP-1 (Ex-East German, fully withdrawn from service, except Forward Observation variants BMP1TJ and BMP1 TTJ)
  • BMP-2 (Operational, acquired from East-German surplus stocks)
  • Marksman (Self-propelled anti-aircraft gun)
  • Crotale NG - (Crotale NGs on Sisu XA-181 vehicles, designated ItO 90)
  • Buk M1 known as ItO 96, Anti-aircraft missile transporter erector launcher
  • 2S1 known as 122 PsH 74 (122 Panssarihaupitsi 74, 122mm armoured howitzer 74)
  • 2S5 known as 152 TelaK 91 (152 Telakanuuna 91, 152mm tracked cannon 91)
  • MT-LBV Armoured personnel carrier
  • MT-LBu Artillery command vehicle
  • BTR-50 YVI Tracked signals vehicle
  • T-72 Ex-East German, fully withdrawn from service. Used as target dummies.

References
  1. Varusmiehiä kouluttavat joukko-osastot 2008. Reserviläinen 1/2008, p.38. ISSN 0557-8477 (in Finnish)
  2. Maanpuolustuskorkeakoulu: "Suomen puolustusvoimat ennen ja nyt" WSOY, 2001, page 328. (in Finnish)
  3. "Panssariprikaati juhlisti vuosipäiväänsä lipunnostolla". (27.6.2014) Ruotuväki, Retrieved on 26 August 2015. (in Finnish)
  4. "Panssariprikaatin organisaatio 1.1.2015". (22.1.2015) Finnish Defence Forces, Retrieved on 26 August 2015. (in Finnish)
  5. "Panssarisoittokunnan viimeiset varusmiessoittajat kotiutuvat". (28.8.2013) Hämeen Sanomat, Retrieved on 26 August 2015. (in Finnish)
  6. "Hämeen rykmentti paloitellaan pitkin maata". (8.2.2012) YLE, Retrieved on 26 August 2015. (in Finnish)
  7. "Viestirykmentin taival kesti 70 vuotta – juhlaparaati oli samalla päätösparaati". (11.12.2014) YLE, Retrieved on 26 August 2015. (in Finnish)
  8. "Maasotakoulu - maavoimien puolustushaarakoulu uudistui". (1.1.2015) Puolustusvoimat, Retrieved on 26 August 2015. (in Finnish)
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