METU-16, the Finnish Navy’s annual firing exercise, will be held from August 22 to 26 and August 29 to September 2 in the Archipelago Sea and the Gulf of Finland, the navy has informed.
Hämeenmaa-class minelayers, Katanpää-class Mine Hunter Coastal Vessels, Rauma- and Hamina-class fast attack missile craft, Pansio-class minelayer ferry, support vessels, firing command units of the coastal units, aircraft from the Air Forces and helicopters from the Army are set to participate in the exercise.
According to the Finnish Navy, the aim of the exercise is to improve the know-how of the participating units as well as the interoperability between the services.
The naval firing exercise METU-16 is a battle technique Joint Fires Exercise held annually according to the operations plan, in order to train naval and air force units and commands in the use of fire in a maritime setting.
The first week of the exercise will start with a training phase where the participating units will train battle techniques related to the use of missile fire. During the operational phase of the second exercise week, emphasis will be laid on the interoperability of the participating units as well as on their ability to react to tasks assigned to them.
The total strength of the exercise is approx. 520 persons: personnel, conscripts and reservists. Commanding officer of the METU-16 exercise is the Chief of Readiness, Captain (N) Tuomas Tiilikainen.