Turunmaa-class gunboat

FNS Karjala
Class overview
Name: Turunmaa
Completed: 2
General characteristics
Type: Corvette
Displacement:
  • 700 tons (+100 with later modifications)
  • 1,350 tons (full load)
Length: 74 m
Beam: 7.8 m
Draught: 3 m
Propulsion:
Speed:
  • 17 knots (diesel cruising)
  • 37 knots (gas-turbine)
Range: 5,000 nm
Complement: 70 (30 officers, 40 conscripts)
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • Simrad hull-mounted sonar
  • WM22 missile control
  • Argo intercept EW
Armament:
Notes:
  • Ships in class include:
  • FNS Turunmaa (03)
  • FNS Karjala (04)

The Turunmaa class fast gunboats (Finnish: Turunmaa-luokan tykkivene) was a type of vessel, previously operated by the Finnish Navy in the ASW and trade protection roles. Internationally they were labeled as corvettes.

History

Development of the class started in 1963. Five hull designs and over thirty propulsion variants were looked at during development. At the time, the electronics of the vessels, and the propulsion system were state of the art and attracted international attention. Both vessels were built by Wärtsilä's Hietalahti shipyard in Helsinki. In 1985-86 both ships were refitted, and the entire fire-control and communications systems were updated. FNS Karjala has been berthed since 2002 at the maritime museum Forum Marinum in Turku as a museum ship next to Suomen Joutsen. FNS Turunmaa was stripped of armaments and served as a floating machine shop and training ship for Satakunta Polytechnics. Currently the Turunmaa is being refitted for civilian use. Neither vessel is currently owned by the Finnish Navy.

The ships were ordered in 1963, launched in 1968, commissioned in 1969 and decommissioned in 2002. The leading vessel was named after the turuma frigates serving in the Archipelago Fleet in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Vessels of the class

Turunmaa warship at sea
Turunmaa photographed through range finding binoculars in 1983.
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