Military Wiki
Archipelago Sea Naval Command
SMMePA-lippu
Colour of the Command
Active 1998–
Country Flag of Finland Finland
Branch Finnish Navy seal Finnish Navy
Role Coastal defence
Size 320 conscripts, 640 career personnel[1]
Part of Finnish Navy
Headquarters Pansio, Turku
Nickname(s) Ässämmepa
March Ernst von Vegesach March
Equipment MTO 85, Rauma class, Hämeenmaa class

Archipelago Sea Naval Command (Finnish language: Saaristomeren Meripuolustusalue , Swedish language: Skärgårdshavets Marinkommando ) is a Finnish Navy unit headquartered in Pansio, Turku. Its main operating area is the Archipelago Sea. Archipelago Sea Naval Command was formed in 1998 by combining the Archipelago Sea Fleet and Turku Coastal Regiment.

The main duty of the Archipelago Sea Naval Command during normal condition is the surveillance of Finnish territorial waters and maintaining territorial integrity. In addition, the Command trains conscripts to fulfil duties in the crisis-time organization of the Command. The Command is always at the state of enhanced readiness, prepared to repel unauthorized incursions to Finnish waters using force. In a crisis, securing the sea lanes for the use of Finnish commercial shipping would be the main duty of the Command.[2]

Turku Coast Battalion's Sea Company (Merikomppania, MERIK) has an NCO School with Navy and Military Police lines, as well Marine Engineer Platoon. ASNAC does not give basic training for conscripts anymore, as all Finnish Navy conscripts are initially trained at Gulf of Finland Naval Command's Navy Training Centre at Upinniemi before being transferred to other units for advanced training.

Organization[]

  • 6th Missile Squadron (6. Ohjuslaivue), operating Rauma class Fast Attack Crafts and Hämeenmaa minelayers
  • 4th Mine Warfare Squadron (4. Miinalaivue), Pansio class minelayers, Kuha and Kiiski class minesweepers.
  • Turku Coast Battalion (Turun Rannikkopataljoona), responsible for providing logistics, force protection and coastal artillery support for the command. The unit is also responsible for the surveillance of territorial waters.
  • Logistics Centre (Huoltokeskus)
  • Navy Band (Laivaston Soittokunta)

References[]

  1. Varusmiehiä kouluttavat joukko-osastot 2008. Reserviläinen 1/2008, p.38. ISSN 0557-8477 (Finnish)
  2. SMMEPA: Esittelyt. Retrieved 2-4-2008. (Finnish)
All or a portion of this article consists of text from Wikipedia, and is therefore Creative Commons Licensed under GFDL.
The original article can be found at Archipelago Sea Naval Command and the edit history here.