For centuries, the defence of Finland's southern coast has been designed to repel sea-borne attacks. The fortified heavy Coastal Artillery that protects the capital Helsinki and other key areas forms the backbone of the defence.

Today, the Navy and the coastal forces are responsible for the continuous surveillance and defence of Finnish territorial waters, archipelago and coastal regions. The strong Coastal Artillery adds credibility to Finland's defence and raises the protective threshold against military attack from the sea. Its training forts are in a high state of readiness and have substantial defensive capability even in peacetime.

The steel-turreted artillery forts located along the rocky Finnish coastline and their firing control, target acquisition and gun-laying systems constitute one of the world's most efficient and up-to-date coastal defence systems.

Finland's fixed Coastal Artillery is one of the best in the world.