[…] Robin Häggblom, a Finnish defense expert told Breaking Defense. “There is a worry [including in Finland] that Russia turning … to a wartime economy means that they will have problems going back to some kind of of peaceful coexistence, even if somehow the Ukraine situation magically was resolved.” […]
Häggblom commented that the decision to make Army modernization a priority is also “significant” because aging East German, Polish and Russian equipment acquired during the 1990s — such as heavy artillery systems, rocket launchers, armored personnel carriers and the BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicle — are “rapidly approaching obsolescence.”
“All these [weapon systems] will need to be replaced rather soon,” said Häggblom, adding that new investment in “primary units of the army” will also be needed, related to more modern helmets and weapon sights. Additionally, he expects a decision on an upgrade or replacement of German made Leopard 2A4 main battle tanks to go ahead “very soon.” Plans to bolster air defense capabilities are already in motion, courtesy of the 2023 decision to acquire David’s Sling, produced by Israel’s Rafael.
In parallel, Finland has donated “quite a lot of ex-Soviet artillery … to Ukraine [and] that has also increased the urgency of getting these replacements on the books,” noted Häggblom. […]
In a separate statement released today, Helsinki said it is “initiating preparations to withdraw from the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction (the so-called Ottawa Convention).” The change in policy, according to the statement, is due to the weapons being able to “complement the capabilities of the Defence Forces.” Läs artikel