Anti-ship missiles became widely adopted by the world's navies in the 1960s, and they were commonly expected make ship artillery obsolete. Experiments were made where cannons were completely replaced by anti-ship and anti-aircraft missiles. This was, however, a passing phase, and more balanced systems comprising conventional and new weapons were readopted.

Missiles play a key role in Finnish naval defence; a long sea frontier, vast archipelago and shallow waters favour the use of fast and light missile FACs as missile platforms. Together with land-based missile systems in coastal areas, the ships allow a quick focusing and refocusing of operations and concentration of countermeasures in areas that are most vital to defence. The Rauma class missile FACs, made in Finland, and Sweden's Göteborg class currently represent the most modern battle systems on the Baltic Sea.