Finland Boosts Low-Altitude Air Defence with €108 Million RBS 70 NG Purchase

On 3 July 2026 the Finnish Ministry of Defence announced a €108 million contract with Sweden’s Saab to acquire RBS 70 NG short-range air-defence systems. The order includes launch units, Bolide missiles, training kits and maintenance support, and is slated to reach full operational capability by the late 2020s. The systems are intended to augment protection against low-flying drones, helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.

Finland Orders €108M Saab RBS 70 NG Air Defense Systems to Counter Low-Flying Aircraft and Drones

Finland already fields the RBS 70-derived ITO05 and ITO05M launchers, for which Saab supplied Bolide missiles under a SEK 800 million contract confirmed in December 2022. Because Finnish crews have operated the RBS 70 family for more than 15 years, the NG variant can be introduced with minimal retraining, lowering transition risk. Since joining NATO in April 2023, the expanded short-range layer supports the alliance’s broader Nordic-Baltic deterrence posture.

Finland Orders €108M Saab RBS 70 NG Air Defense Systems to Counter Low-Flying Aircraft and Drones

The procurement was approved by the Finnish Ministry of Defence. Saab AB supplies the RBS 70 NG and Bolide missiles. The Karelia Brigade, Finland’s largest brigade-level unit, will host the majority of launchers, while the Salpausselkä Air Defence Battalion will conduct training for conscripts, reservists and regular troops.

Finland Orders €108M Saab RBS 70 NG Air Defense Systems to Counter Low-Flying Aircraft and Drones

The RBS 70 NG uses a laser-beam-riding guidance that requires the operator to keep the sight on the target, giving it resistance to flares and radio-frequency jamming. It reaches a range of over 9 km and an altitude ceiling of 5 km, with a 45-second deployment time and a reload under five seconds in the man-portable mode. The Bolide missile travels at Mach 2, carries a combined warhead with a selectable laser proximity fuse, more than 3,000 tungsten fragments and a shaped-charge function, and leaves a low-smoke trace that helps conceal the firing position. The missile can be launched without seeker cool-down and supports lock-on after launch, allowing crews to stay concealed until a target is identified.

Finland Orders €108M Saab RBS 70 NG Air Defense Systems to Counter Low-Flying Aircraft and Drones

The Ministry of Defence stated that the purchase “strengthens areal coverage across Finland rather than merely protecting a small number of fixed sites.” Saab emphasized the system’s automatic tracker and upgraded thermal imager as essential for detecting low-signature drones in Finland’s varied terrain and weather.

Finland Orders €108M Saab RBS 70 NG Air Defense Systems to Counter Low-Flying Aircraft and Drones

The RBS 70 NG fills the lower tier of Finland’s layered air-defence network, providing distributed denial that forces hostile low-altitude platforms to contend with multiple firing points. It complements, rather than replaces, fighter aircraft, long-range radars and medium-range missiles, thereby enhancing a multi-layered defence architecture that contributes to NATO’s northern approach security.

Finland Orders €108M Saab RBS 70 NG Air Defense Systems to Counter Low-Flying Aircraft and Drones

Full operational capability is expected by the end of the 2020s, with training of conscripts and reservists ongoing at the Salpausselkä Battalion. Integration will be coordinated with NATO’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence framework to ensure interoperability with alliance assets.

Finland Orders €108M Saab RBS 70 NG Air Defense Systems to Counter Low-Flying Aircraft and Drones