Ground-Based Air Defence 100 Years at the Senate Square
On 1 July 2025, it is 100 years since the beginning of ground-based air defence training in Finland. The Defence Forces honours the 100 year-old ground-based air defence branch by organising the Ground-Based Air Defence 100 Years event in Helsinki on 1 July. Admission to the event is free.
On 1 July from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., the public will have an opportunity to familiarise themselves with a range of ground-based air defence equipment at the Senate Square. Equipment will be on display from the Army brigade-level units providing GBAD training: Karelia Brigade, Jaeger Brigade and Armoured Brigade. The Soldiers’ Home canteen will also be there as well as a Second World War anti-aircraft tank from the Armour Museum.
An Air Force F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet will conduct a flypast over the Senate Square at 12 a.m. (weather permitting) causing noise over the Helsinki area.
The operating of the ground-based air defence branch is considered to have begun on 1 July 1925, when the first anti-aircraft training unit, the Air Defence Contingent was founded in Suomenlinna. The first air defence battery was founded on 18 June 1926.
- Today, ground-based air defence is a central part of air defence and of the Army’s capability. The main task of ground-based air defence is to counter attacks from the air against the Defence Forces’ troops and assets and against critical assets of the society. The capability of the branch is based on a multi-layered capability of missile systems and projectile-based air defence weapons to repel offensives, on networked air defence command and control, and competent personnel. Ground-based air defence has been and continues to be developed consistently as an entity designed to respond to any threats optimally, says the Inspector of Ground-based Air Defence, Colonel Mano-Mikael Nokelainen from the Army Command.
Ground-based air defence conscripts are trained at the Jaeger Brigade’s Rovaniemi Air Defence Battalion, Karelia Brigade’s Salpausselkä Air Defence Battalion in Vekaranjärvi and the Helsinki Air Defence Regiment in the Armoured Brigade in Hattula.
Welcome!
Traffic arrangements of the event
Because of the event, traffic around and at the Senate Square will be restricted starting from 7 a.m. on 1 July. Hallituskatu will be closed to all traffic between Snellmanninkatu and Unioninkatu for the duration of the event and its dismounting.
Defence Forces equipment will arrive at the Senate Square in the morning of 1 July starting from 7 a.m. mainly by the following route: Hämeenlinnan väylä (E12) – Kehä 1 eastbound – road 170 Itäväylä to the centre – Sörnäisten Rantatie – Pohjoisranta -Kirkkokatu – Mariankatu – Aleksanterinkatu – Snellmaninkatu – Hallituskatu, and return to their home garrisons after the event starting from 6 p.m.by the same route.
The equipment display will be dismounted immediately after the event.
You can follow the event on the Finnish Defence Forces and Army social media channels #IT100.
