Mine Hunter Coastal Vahterpää delivered to the Finnish Navy

The third Katanpää class mine counter-measure vessel was handed over to the Finnish Navy in Italy today.

MHC (Mine Hunter Coastal) Vahterpää of the Katanpää class has now been handed over to the Finnish Navy. The vessel was formally handed over to the Commander of the Finnish Navy, Rear Admiral Veijo Taipalus,at the Intermarine Shipyard in La Spezia, Italy.

The new vessel will be transferred to its home port, Turku, by land. The vessel should reach its destination in December.

New class of vessel

The Katanpää class represents a new mine countermeasure capability for the Navy that is capable of hunting and destroying mines in addition to the already existing contact and influence clearing capabilities.

Katanpää class vessels have been acquired primarily for national purposes. The vessels’ systems can be used to assist other authorities, for e.g. in mapping the seabed, in under-water searches and in the identification and defusing of under-water explosives.

The vessels are EU and NATO interoperable, and, therefore, improve Finland's chances of participating in international crisis management operations.