The Finnish Navy (Merivoimat, Marinen) is one of the branches of the Finnish Defence Forces. The navy employs 2,300 people and about 4,300 conscripts are trained each year. Finnish Navy vessels are given the ship prefix "FNS", short for "Finnish Navy ship", but this is not used in Finnish language contexts. The Finnish Navy also includes coastal forces and coastal artillery.
The current Commander of the Navy is rear admiral Jori Harju. The navy is organized into the Navy Command, three Brigade-level units, and the Naval Academy. Since 1998 the navy also includes the Nyland Brigade in Dragsvik, where Finnish Marines or Coastal Jaegers are trained. Nyland Brigade is also the only Swedish language unit in the country and it carries on the traditions and battle-honours of the Nyland (Uusimaa) Regiment of the Swedish Army.
Navy Command headquarters: (Heikkilä, Turku)
Naval depot: Pansio and Kimito
Naval research depot: Espoo
Coastal Brigade: (Upinniemi, Kirkkonummi)
Coastal Fleet: (Pansio, Turku)
Commander
Headquarters (Pansio)
4th Minecountermeasures squadron (Pansio)
MHCs Katanpää, Purunpää and Vahterpää
Home Defence Troops' Mine Sweeping Group Sääksi (Kuha and Kiiski classes)
6th Surface Warfare Squadron (Pansio)
2nd Mine Unit (MLC Uusimaa, MLI Pansio)
2nd Missile Unit (Rauma class)
7th Surface Warfare Squadron (Upinniemi)
MLC Hämeenmaa
1st Missile Unit (Hamina class)
1st Mine Unit (MLI Porkkala, MLI Pyhäranta)
8th Service Support Squadron (Pansio and Upinniemi)
1st Transport Unit
2nd Transport Unit
Support Company (Military police platoon, Support Platoon, Harbour and transport centre, Materiel Centre, NCO Course)
Home Defence Troops' Protection Company
Nyland Brigade: (Dragsvik, Ekenäs)
Naval Academy: (Suomenlinna, Helsinki)
Total of 31,500 personnel
During the Swedish era, the Finnish Gulf saw many battles between the Swedish and Russian fleets. Many of the Swedish naval bases were located in present-day Finland and many sailors came from Finland (see Archipelago Fleet).