Finnish Defence Forces

Finnish Defence Forces
Puolustusvoimat (Finnish) Försvarsmakten (Swedish)
Emblem of the Finnish Defence Forces
Military flag of Finland
Founded	25 January 1918; 106 years ago (1918-01-25)
Service branches	Finnish Army Finnish Navy Finnish Air Force
Website	Official website
Leadership
President	Alexander Stubb
Minister of Defence	Antti Häkkänen
Chief of Defence	General Janne Jaakkola
Personnel
Military age	18
Conscription	165, 255, or 347 days term
Available for military service	1,155,368 males, age 16–49 (2010 est.), 1,106,193 females, age 16–49 (2010 est.)
Fit for military service	955,151 males, age 16–49 (2010 est.), 912,983 females, age 16–49 (2010 est.)
Reaching military age annually	32,599 males (2010 est.), 31,416 females (2010 est.)
Active personnel	24,000 (2023), 280,000 (wartime)[1]
Reserve personnel	870,000[2]
Deployed personnel	486[3]
Expenditures
Budget	€6.2 billion (2024)
Percent of GDP	2.3% (2024)[4]
Industry
Domestic suppliers	Patria Nammo Robonic SAKO Sisu Auto
Foreign suppliers	Germany  Israel[5]  Norway  Sweden  United States
Annual exports	€133 million (2016)[6]
Related articles
Ranks	Finnish military ranks

Björneborgarnas marsch (MID)

"March of the Björneborgers" or "March of the Pori Regiment" from the 19th century; known as the military anthem of the Finnish Defence Force

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The Finnish Defence Forces (FDF) (Finnish: Puolustusvoimat, Swedish: Försvarsmakten) are the military of Finland. The Finnish Defence Forces consist of the Finnish Army, the Finnish Navy, and the Finnish Air Force. In wartime, the Finnish Border Guard becomes part of the Finnish Defence Forces.

Universal male conscription is in place, under which all mentally and physically capable men serve for 165, 255, or 347 days, from the year they turn 18 until the year they turn 29. Alternative non-military service for men and voluntary service for women is available.

Finland's official policy states that a wartime military strength of 280,000^[1] personnel constitutes a sufficient deterrent. The army consists of a highly mobile field army backed up by local defence units. The army defends the national territory and its military strategy employs the use of the heavily forested terrain and numerous lakes to wear down an aggressor, instead of attempting to hold the attacking army on the frontier.

Finland's defence budget for 2022 equals approximately €5.8 billion. The voluntary overseas service is highly popular and troops serve around the world in UN, NATO, and EU missions. With an arsenal of 700 howitzers, 700 heavy mortars and 100 multiple rocket launchers, Finland has the largest artillery capability in western Europe.^[7] Homeland defence willingness against a superior enemy is at 83%, one of the highest rates in Europe.^[8] The air force has 62 F/A-18 combat aircraft from 1995, to be replaced with 64 F-35 aircraft in 2026 by the HX Fighter Program.

The Finnish Defence Forces cooperate closely with the Finnish Border Guard.^[9][10] The Finnish Border Guard has its own yearly and long term investment budget.