Finland has placed an initial order with Saab for the RBS 70 NG short-range air defence system, extending its use of the Swedish company’s ground-based missile family, according to the company.
The contract was signed with the Finnish Defence Forces Logistics Command and also establishes a mechanism for Finland to place further orders for RBS 70 NG equipment, training, spare parts and maintenance equipment in the future, Saab announced on 28 August.
Görgen Johansson, head of Saab’s Dynamics business area, said in the company’s release: “We are proud to continue supporting Finland’s Defence Forces and contributing to keeping the nation’s skies safe. With RBS 70 NG, Finland will receive a state-of-the art short-range air defence capability to effectively meet evolving aerial threats.”
RBS 70 NG is a man-portable, very short-range air defence system built around a laser beam-riding missile rather than the infrared or radar-guided seekers used by many comparable weapons. In operation, the missile follows a laser guidance beam projected by the sighting unit towards the target.
Saab describes the guidance method as resistant to electronic jamming because the missile is not dependent on a radio-frequency command link or a conventional target-seeking radar or infrared seeker. The company also says the architecture allows the operator to retain control throughout the engagement.
The NG version adds a new sighting system to the RBS 70 family, including automatic target tracking and an integrated night capability. According to Saab, those changes are intended to improve engagement performance and allow the system to operate across a wider range of conditions.
RBS 70 has been developed through several generations since entering service in the late 1970s and has been exported to a number of armed forces. The system can be operated from a ground mount and has also been integrated with vehicles, allowing users to employ the missile in fixed, dismounted or mobile short-range air defence roles.
Finland maintains a layered ground-based air defence network alongside its combat aircraft and other surveillance assets. Short-range systems are used to protect forces, infrastructure and other targets against aircraft, helicopters and, depending on the engagement conditions and system configuration, uncrewed aerial threats.
The Finnish Defence Forces have increased investment in air and missile defence alongside broader force modernisation in recent years. Finland joined NATO in April 2023, bringing its existing national air defence structure into the Alliance’s wider integrated air and missile defence arrangements.
The latest agreement also continues Finland’s procurement relationship with Saab across a number of defence areas. For the RBS 70 family specifically, Finnish operators have had nearly two decades of experience with the earlier system before the decision to acquire the NG configuration.
