Armoured Brigade (Finland) Explained

Unit Name:Armoured Brigade
Native Name:Panssariprikaati
Dates:1942–1944 Panssaridivisioona (Armoured Division)
1946–1952: Kevyt Prikaati (Light Brigade)
1952–: Panssariprikaati (Armoured Brigade)
Type:Heavy armoured
Size:1,700 conscripts, 600 career personnel[1]
Garrison:Parolannummi, Hattula
Garrison Label:Garrison
Colors Label:Flag
March:Parolan marssi [2]
Equipment:Leopard 2A6
BMP-2
Battles:Kuuterselkä
Äyräpää
Tali-Ihantala
Anniversaries:28.6 - Founding of the Finnish Armoured Division[3]
Commander1:Colonel Juhana Skyttä
Notable Commanders:Ruben Lagus
Ari Puheloinen
Pekka Toveri

The Armoured Brigade (Finnish: Panssariprikaati) is a Finnish Army training unit located in Parolannummi, Hattula, in southern Finland. The brigade specialises in training armoured and anti-aircraft troops. In case of mobilization, the Finnish Defence Forces would field one armoured brigade. The war-time armoured brigade has a strength of around 5,700 men, and fields 63 main battle tanks, 110 infantry fighting vehicles, circa 100 armoured personnel carriers, mainly of Soviet origin, and roughly 70 other armoured vehicles. However, the remaining war-time armoured brigade is being phased out and replaced by smaller mechanized battle groups. The new mechanized battle groups will field the Leopard 2 MBTs that are not included in the organization of the contemporary war-time armoured brigades.

Organisation

Since Finnish Defence Forces reform in 2015, the structure of the Armoured Brigade is the following:[4] [5]

The Armoured Band (Panssarisoittokunta) was disbanded in 2013 as part of FDF reforms.[7] After disbandment of the Military Music School and the Häme Regiment, the Conscript band was attached to the Armoured Brigade.[8] Following the disbandment of the Signals Regiment in 2014, the Centre for Electronic Warfare was attached to the brigade.[9] The Armour School, which trains reserve officers and career personnel, was attached to the Army Academy in 2015.[10] The Command & Control Company (Johtamisjärjestelmäkomppania) was merged with the Armoured Signals Company in December 2021.

Training equipment

External links

Notes and References

  1. Varusmiehiä kouluttavat joukko-osastot 2008. Reserviläinen 1/2008, p.38. ISSN 0557-8477
  2. Maanpuolustuskorkeakoulu: "Suomen puolustusvoimat ennen ja nyt" WSOY, 2001, page 328.
  3. https://web.archive.org/web/20150924083335/http://www.puolustusvoimat.fi/portal/puolustusvoimat.fi/!ut/p/c5/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3h3IzMLDy8DQ0t3Qz8LA0__kAAj9yA3A4swU6B8JJK8v7evE1DexyDM3CfA0NnCiBLdBobE6DYzdvV29XM3MXQPcDYx8Ax2CbUMCTU3dg81o8Bu_yBzArrDQSGF3-f45EF-A8njcz0e_WD3geQNcABHA30_j_zcVP2C3NDQ0AiDTM8sE0UAPN3fbA!!/dl3/d3/L0lDU0NTQ1FvS1VRIS9JSFNBQ0lLRURNeW01dXBnLzRDMWI4SWtmb2lUSUJLUVEvN19HMjY4SEowMTlHMU44MElPVFAyR1JGME9NNy9XQ01fQ09OVEVYVC8lMHN1K3B1b2x1c3R1c3ZvaW1hdC5maSUwcHVvbHVzdHVzdm9pbWF0LmZpJTBydW90dXZha2ktbGVodGklMHBpa2F1dXRpc2V0JTBwYW5zc2FyaXByaWthYXRpK2p1aGxpc3RpK3Z1b3NpcGFpdmFhbnNhK2xpcHVubm9zdG9sbGE!/ "Panssariprikaati juhlisti vuosipäiväänsä lipunnostolla"
  4. https://web.archive.org/web/20150924120435/http://www.puolustusvoimat.fi/portal/puolustusvoimat.fi/!ut/p/c5/vZHLcoJAEEW_xQ_QmYHhtRxgAsNjeCOwscQyRAxqREX8-liVZSqujN3LW7dP921QgXvvlpdNszxt9rvlJyhAJS8sQVZtByItcH0dssCDueKFyIgEMAcFxIukHQ_str3FLRxQD4crP5aDb9LB96KBpznr2-ia1gH0zQT5Juc85SFaaSh_iygJpgM_w8l9VvWIZsHHOkQ_uixSl3ILIys0MGSJmWlppohWJj_0B7Hyo8M_ikBQgkr5yy-4AkifmMZjFnody4AvZL0wQ-OVGYrPZ-lRnlpUDKDl5Rpk1LBNjaYSE1_4rwT-412qySRIVMPOTCUhiD03QwdUm7qbDatuBmcy1mQoq1BVRFHDkgTmdSnq5t4hJo3vG2FtvNS9IzVlUo7O2j0TwdN7rvVnzKfe-pIJNcIdvh6L0Bc39oc-zKulq6AwH5sEpy3el_SWkKLaVu6iJEqZHMmiq0_ToTv2xm6jve1W-e60HG8qjedh3A6FuNpOP-wmemd43MoZstK227Mvp5SdePTazGhDASlMmor4k5TuUVfbxsdh9b618tXC_momE8DtfbcGh-5yoLF9K371mnwDGZA3KQ!!/dl3/d3/L2dBISEvZ0FBIS9nQSEh/?pcid=e69d338040018550b945f9815865e67e "Panssariprikaatin organisaatio 1.1.2015"
  5. https://maavoimat.fi/panssariprikaatin-alokasinfo
  6. https://web.archive.org/web/20240401222456/https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5d36ed02644809000107c1b6/t/65ec36248b0baf51839f75de/1709979172767/s23.pdf
  7. http://www.hameensanomat.fi/uutiset/kanta-hame/241423-panssarisoittokunnan-viimeiset-varusmiessoittajat-kotiutuvat "Panssarisoittokunnan viimeiset varusmiessoittajat kotiutuvat"
  8. http://yle.fi/uutiset/hameen_rykmentti_paloitellaan_pitkin_maata/5063097 "Hämeen rykmentti paloitellaan pitkin maata"
  9. http://yle.fi/uutiset/viestirykmentin_taival_kesti_70_vuotta__juhlaparaati_oli_samalla_paatosparaati/7683567 "Viestirykmentin taival kesti 70 vuotta – juhlaparaati oli samalla päätösparaati"
  10. https://web.archive.org/web/20150924122037/http://www.puolustusvoimat.fi/portal/puolustusvoimat.fi/!ut/p/c5/vZLLkqJAEEW_pT9AK4tCCpZAFS8BlZfKhhB1uhUBbUW0vn6M6OVEu3LMXN64eSJvJsrRo5vVdfe5uuzaZnVAC5QrhS0pquMB1ibjwAB34kNG_Sk2ZxKaowXIRby_H11RiWgPtzBIomks0j5glh9-50GYTHDIAhwLl1yE4cf7QApoFMBZw5k147pxabfb_uMxK39Gs-G5DvhHVwgf89CWsT01ZXBjlmpJSomdKk_9k4j-6PBL6YCWKKe_-aWxhJIXpvGchd_HMuGNrDdmaL4zQ_J6ljHLEpuTCdh-poHLTYdpPBm55I33iuE_7qUydwS6ajopo7GO3ddm6KF8V9bDfl0PYajImgKKCiolRJNHIzQvlx21Wk9nPCqM5Smlp1KK1Vmnn0_3_aC_mVv2595bfkcPIiei6aDGi09uYJJhObc24nbo70rlLh0idLabVQ09meGXgNJurzftKyUqs-zutE68qJIz5jWL6dkqio3XtF5g5n66Gpw9vVUUXjVtd2vzw3jEq-Mu9KfhvGT7ejm4br4fX7zGtgsfKHTaeouO9fXII0cs_umt_hdyxyJg/dl3/d3/L2dBISEvZ0FBIS9nQSEh/?pcid=ed17fe0046c39e659656b7786bf3619b "Maasotakoulu - maavoimien puolustushaarakoulu uudistui"