{"id":32950,"date":"2016-05-05T00:21:00","date_gmt":"2016-05-05T00:21:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2016\/05\/05\/finland-may-turn-to-drones-to-supplement-combat-aircraft\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T22:44:34","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T22:44:34","slug":"finland-may-turn-to-drones-to-supplement-combat-aircraft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/air\/2016\/05\/05\/finland-may-turn-to-drones-to-supplement-combat-aircraft\/","title":{"rendered":"Finland May Turn to Drones To Supplement Combat Aircraft"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">HELSINKI \u2014\u00a0Finland&#8217;s center-right government&#8217;s tightening grip on public spending could result in the acquisition of fewer combat aircraft in the Finnish Air Forces&#8217; (FAF) HX Fighter Replacement Program (HX-FRP).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Such a path to procurement strengthens the possibility that <span class=\"rte rte-comment\">that <\/span>economic and affordability factors could see Finland acquire a fleet of combat drone aircraft to supplement the FAF\u2019s operational needs and support its overall capability. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Finnish economy is slowly entering a new growth phase after seven years of recession and austerity-led public spending cuts. Big-ticket capital programs, such as the FRP, are being more closely scrutinized to ensure delivery of optimum value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The FRP is expected to include an aircraft acquisition cost of between US$7 billion to US$10 billion depending on the aircraft type selected. The budget for the total lifecycle cost for 64 aircraft can be expected to run to an estimated US$25 billion to US$30 billion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Should the Finnish government bow to pressure from opposition parties critical over the high cost of the FRP, such a development could force a lowering in the level of ambition to 60 fighter aircraft or less.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In such a scenario, it is likely the FAF will advance the need to acquire a large number of armed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to protect any lost capability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;While we are seeing growth and recovery in the economy, we still need to control public spending as we expect the general government debt-to-GDP ratio will continue to rise,&#8221; said Finnish finance minister Alexander Stubb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Finland&#8217;s public debt stood at 63.1 percent of GDP at the end of 2015, with central government debt increasing above US$100 billion, or just under 50 percent of GDP. The central government debt is forecast to climb to 67.4 percent of GDP in 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The FAF, under the present plan, expects to be able to order between 60 and 64 multirole aircraft to replace the 64 NATO-compatible McDonnell-Douglas F\/A-18 Hornets delivered in the 1990s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The 54 Hornets <span class=\"rte rte-comment\">currently <\/span>in service with the FAF have undergone two mid-life upgrades since 2010.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The FAF intends to start retiring the first of its fleet of Hornets after 2025, with the aim of completing the process in 2030.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;The fighter acquisition program will become a fundamental component of a strengthened national air-defense system that comprises a robust anti-aircraft defense system,&#8221; said Jussi Niinist\u00f6, Finland&#8217;s defense minister.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Finnish Defense Force&#8217;s (FDF) Logistics Command, on April 22, sent out Requests for Information (RfI) to state defense administrations in the United States, Sweden, France and Britain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Aircraft types covered by the RFIs include the Boeing F-15 and F\/A-18, Dassault Rafale, the Eurofighter Typhoon, the Lockheed Martin F-16 and F-35, and the Saab Gripen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The deadline for replies to the RfIs is Dec.<span class=\"rte rte-comment\">ember<\/span> 31, 2016. \u00a0The invitation to tender bids to the HX-FRP will be dispatched in 2018. Based on this time-frame, a final decision on procurement will be reached in 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The RfI will precede the final procurement analysis and subsequent decision. The FDF plans to run a parallel program to review and determine what systems, including weapons, training equipment, C2 systems and maintenance arrangements, will be needed to augment the fighter purchase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to Niinist\u00f6, the RfI also invites manufacturers to present possible solutions that includes several types of UAVs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;The objective is to look at UAV proposals that would contribute to the capabilities of multi-role fighters,&#8221; said Niinist\u00f6.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a similar tight-budgeting scenario, Denmark&#8217;s FRP is expected to deliver a solution that includes a reduced number of fighter aircraft supplemented by armed drones with tactical and extreme climate surveillance capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Danish Ministry of Defense (MoD) is expected to reach a decision on its fighter type selection in the second half of 2016.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In both the Danish and the Finnish FRPs, the focus is on affordability and identifying armed UAV types that possess the capability to be used in task-specific and multirole missions, and for operations that are routinely conducted by front-line aircraft at the present time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The FAF&#8217;s existing UAV fleet includes Swiss-built Ranger surveillance drones for non- combat missions. The FAF has also acquired Israeli Orbiter surveillance drones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Leading potential bidders, including Saab and Lockheed Martin, have hired senior former FAF commanders as consultants to their FRP teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Saab has added ex- FAF Chief of Staff, Brig.<span class=\"rte rte-comment\">adier<\/span> Gen. Kari Salmi to its Finnish consultancy team, while retired Col. Ossi Siv\u00e9n, a former chief of the FAF\u2019s Karelia Air Command, has been recruited by Lockheed Martin.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dassault Aviation (Rafale) and Boeing are expected to announce their FRP-consulting teams shortly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saab plans to unveil the next-generation upgrade of the JAS Gripen at its main factory in \u00a0Link\u00f6ping, Sweden, on May 18.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Finland\u2019s center-right government\u2019s tightening grip on public spending could result in the acquisition of fewer combat aircraft in the Finnish Air Forces\u2019 (FAF) HX Fighter Replacement Program 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