Kaskeala wants leaner defence force
Chief of Defence would reduce manpower by one third
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Finland’s Chief of Defence, Admiral Juhani Kaskeala proposes a reduction of the wartime manpower of Finland's Defence Forces by nearly one third of the present level.
Speaking at the opening of the latest National Defence Course in Helsinki on Monday, Kaskeala said that the cutbacks could be put forward in the government's next report to Parliament on security and defence policy. In Kaskeala’s view, deciding on the manpower of the Defence Forces is the most important task of the report.
The strength of Finland’s wartime reservist army currently stands at about 350,000 soldiers. In Kaskeala’s view, the number needs to be reduced by about 100,000.
A key aim of Kaskeala’s proposed reduction would be to free up more resources for increasingly costly military equipment.
"Only through reductions is it possible to maintain even a satisfactory level in materiel acquisitions", Kaskeala emphasised.
Prices of weapons systems have increased by seven percent annually in recent years. If the money allocated for materiel acquisition stays the same in the future, the purchasing power of the acquisition budget will fall to half of the present level in the next decade. Kaskeala’s aim is to compensate quantity with quality.
"We must give up inadequate equipment, which is completely inadequate for modern warfare, and forces which have not undergone sufficient refresher courses: otherwise they will turn into paper tigers that area burden on our organisation", he warned.
Kaskeala’s call for a reduction in forces would probably require the closure of more garrisons. Following the last security and defence policy report, the Savo Brigade, the Helsinki anti-aircraft regiment, and several arms depots were closed down. At the same time a massive organisational change was implemented.
There are two possible ways to reduce the manpower of the reservist army. One way is for a smaller proportion of each age group to undergo military training, or for reservists to be removed from the operative reserve at a younger age, after which they would not be required to take part in refresher courses.
Currently about 80 per cent of each male age group serves in the conscript military. The reduction of the forces could lead to a situation in which only 60 per cent of each age group would serve.
Admiral Kaskeala also proposes increasing cooperation among the Nordic Countries as a way to save in materiel acquisition. A study is currently underway with Sweden on the possibility of enhancing cooperation. The work is scheduled to conclude early next year.
Kaskeala feels that a similar survey should take place on cooperation with Norway.
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 18.9.2007 - TODAY |
 Kaskeala wants leaner defence force |
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