Xinhua Net:
HELSINKI, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) — Finland plans to acquire a new surface-to-air defense missiles system that would restore its vertical missile range to some 20 km, newspaper Helsingin Sanomat reported on Monday.
The Finnish surface-to-air vertical distance shrunk some years ago, when Finland scrapped its Russian-made Buk missiles that reached this 20-km distance. Finland gave up the Buk system and purchased the Nasams system developed in the United States and Norway. Its vertical reach is said to be 10 km.
Interviewed by the Helsingin Sanomat, Colonel Ari Groonroos, inspector of anti-aircraft operations at the Finnish defense forces, played down the U.S. Patriots surface-to-air system as Finland’s next choice.
