The brigades

The wartime strength of the Finnish Defence Forces is about 490 000 men, the strength of the Army is about 345 000. The finnish army is not organized in divisions, since that is too large formations for operating in the difficult finnish terrain. The brigades are organized into several army corps, which have their own multiple rocket-launcher batteries and heavy artillery battallions supporting the brigades in combat. The brigades are organized and equipped to act independently if necessary. The general forces is supported by company to battalion-sized local defence units. Approximately 50 battallions and 200 other local defence units. These engage in rearguard action and create a depth of defensive preparedness to delay and wear down the enemy. These units is supported by their own mortar and artillery units.

General forces

Infantry Brigades, or jalkaväkiprikaatit in finnish. These brigades are formed mainly with reservists with a strenght of approximately 6600 soldiers in each brigade. The brigades uses numerical designations. The brigades are organized as the jaeagerbrigades but has older equipment and are not motorized to the same extenth. They are thus suitable for defensive operations.

- 17. Jalkaväkiprikaati
- 19. Jalkaväkiprikaati
- 27. Jalkaväkiprikaati
- 29. Jalkaväkiprikaati
- 34. Jalkaväkiprikaati
- 36. Jalkaväkiprikaati
- 39. Jalkaväkiprikaati
- 41. Jalkaväkiprikaati
- 42. Jalkaväkiprikaati
- 43. Jalkaväkiprikaati
- 47. Jalkaväkiprikaati

Jaegerbrigades, or jääkäriprikaatit in finnish, better equipped infantry and higly motorized. Strenght approximately 5300 soldiers. They are thus suitable for offensive operations.

- Hämen Jääkäriprikaati,
- Lapin Jääkäriprikaati
- Pohjan Jääkäriprikaati
- Kymen Jääkäriprikaati
- Savon Jääkäriprikaati
- Pohjois-Karjalan Jääkäriprikaati

Readiness brigades, or valmiusprikaatit in finnish, spearhead units with the most modern equipment available. Strenght approximately 5300 soldiers. Part of Pori Brigade is ear-marked for international missions under the name FRDF (Finnish Rapid Deployment Force). These brigades are lighter and more flexible than jaegerbrigades. The modern equipment however still gives them more fire-power than a jaegerbrigade.

- Kainuun Valmiusprikaati
- Karjalan Valmiusprikaati
- Porin Valmiusprikaati

Armoured brigades, or panssariprikaatit in finnish, with T-72M1 main battle tanks. Strenght approximately 5700 soldiers and 65 main battle tanks in each brigade, hundreds of other armoured vehicles. Both fighting vehicles and transport and engineer vehicles. The Leopard 2A4´s bought from Germany (and one T-72 battallion) will be based at the active Armoured Brigade during peace-time, during war they would be formed to independent tank battallions and support the other brigades in combat, mainly the readiness brigades. The armoured brigades are usefull in the south. Up in the north the armour would be forced to use the roads which would make them vulnerable, as the russians found ut during world war 2.

- 1. Panssariprikaati, active
- 2. Panssariprikaati, reserve

Coastal brigade, swedish-speaking, organized under the Navy.

- Nylands brigad (swedish), Uudenmaan prikaati (finnish).