Armoured Brigade (Finland)

Armoured Brigade
Panssariprikaati
Insignia of the Armoured Brigade.
Active1942–1944 Panssaridivisioona (Armoured Division)
1946–1952: Kevyt Prikaati (Light Brigade)
1952–: Panssariprikaati (Armoured Brigade)
Country Finland
BranchFinnish Army seal Finnish Army
TypeHeavy armoured
Size1,700 conscripts, 600 career personnel[1]
GarrisonParolannummi, Hattula
FlagThe Colour of Armoured Brigade
MarchParolan marssi [2]
Anniversaries28.6 - Founding of the Finnish Armoured Division[3]
EquipmentLeopard 2A6
BMP-2
EngagementsKuuterselkä
Äyräpää
Tali-Ihantala
Commanders
Current
commander		Colonel Juhana Skyttä
Notable
commanders		Ruben Lagus
Ari Puheloinen
Pekka Toveri

The Armoured Brigade (Finnish: Panssariprikaati) is a Finnish Army training unit located in Parolannummi, Hattula, in southern Finland. The brigade specialises in training armoured and anti-aircraft troops. In case of mobilization, the Finnish Defence Forces would field one armoured brigade. The war-time armoured brigade has a strength of around 5,700 men, and fields 63 main battle tanks, 110 infantry fighting vehicles, circa 100 armoured personnel carriers, mainly of Soviet origin, and roughly 70 other armoured vehicles. However, the remaining war-time armoured brigade is being phased out and replaced by smaller mechanized battle groups. The new mechanized battle groups will field the Leopard 2 MBTs that are not included in the organization of the contemporary war-time armoured brigades.

  1. ^ Varusmiehiä kouluttavat joukko-osastot 2008. Reserviläinen 1/2008, p.38. ISSN 0557-8477 (in Finnish)
  2. ^ Maanpuolustuskorkeakoulu: "Suomen puolustusvoimat ennen ja nyt" WSOY, 2001, page 328. (in Finnish)
  3. ^ "Panssariprikaati juhlisti vuosipäiväänsä lipunnostolla". (27.6.2014) Ruotuväki, Retrieved on 26 August 2015. (in Finnish)