DEFENSE ALERT: Finland deploys Israeli Gabriel anti-surface missile to boost naval strike power.

According to information published by the Finnish Navy on August 22, 2025, Finland has officially placed the Israeli-made Gabriel anti-surface missile, designated in Finnish service as the Surface Defense Missile 2020 (PTO2020), into operational service. The new weapon enters service aboard Hamina-class missile boats, significantly expanding the Navy’s strike envelope against both maritime and land-based targets. It will later be integrated into the under-construction Pohjanmaa-class multi-role corvettes, and the system is also adaptable for use from land-based mobile platforms, ensuring a wide spectrum of deployment options.
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Finnish Navy Hamina-class missile boat launching an anti-surface missile during trial testing. (Picture source: Finnish Navy)

The Hamina-class missile boat is the spearhead of Finland’s fast attack craft fleet. Originally commissioned in the early 2000s, these 250-ton vessels are specifically designed for operations in the shallow and densely populated waters of the Baltic Sea. Measuring 51 meters in length and capable of speeds exceeding 30 knots, the Hamina-class is designed for high mobility, stealth, and rapid strike missions. The class underwent a comprehensive mid-life upgrade completed between 2018 and 2022, which modernized its sensors, combat management systems, and armament to ensure continued relevance in modern naval warfare. With the integration of the Gabriel missile, the Hamina-class now possesses a long-range precision strike capability that far exceeds its original design specifications, transforming these relatively small vessels into highly potent assets for Finland’s coastal defense strategy.

The introduction of the Gabriel marks a decisive generational shift for Finland’s naval firepower, as it replaces the long-serving Swedish-origin RBS15 system, which is approaching the end of its service life by the close of this decade. With a reported range exceeding 200 kilometers, the missile provides Finland with greater standoff capability, enhanced target discrimination, and flexibility in engagement scenarios. The system employs GPS satellite guidance combined with inertial navigation for mid-course flight, while a sophisticated active radar seeker ensures precision during terminal homing, even in contested electronic warfare environments.

Manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), the Gabriel missile has evolved through multiple generations since its first introduction in the 1970s, with the Finnish variant representing one of the latest configurations. Its integration into the Hamina-class boats underscores Finland’s doctrine of leveraging compact, fast-attack platforms equipped with cutting-edge missile technology to deter larger naval adversaries in the Baltic Sea’s constrained operating environment. The future Pohjanmaa-class corvettes, currently under construction as part of the Squadron 2020 program, will carry the system as their primary long-range strike weapon, reinforcing Finland’s surface combatant fleet with enhanced survivability and firepower.

The decision to procure Israeli systems has not been without controversy. Alongside the Gabriel, Finland also employs the EuroSpike missile family, co-developed with European partners but fundamentally rooted in Israeli technology. With the ongoing Gaza crisis drawing heightened political scrutiny over defense cooperation with Israel, Finland’s reliance on these weapons has stirred public debate. Nonetheless, the Navy maintains that the acquisition of the PTO2020 missile is vital for ensuring credible maritime defense capability in an increasingly unstable security environment in Northern Europe.

By fielding the Gabriel, Finland strengthens its deterrence posture and sends a clear signal of readiness to defend its sovereignty in the Baltic theater. The missile’s operationalization provides not only a replacement for aging systems but also a marked increase in strike flexibility, reflecting Finland’s rapid modernization of its naval forces at a time when regional tensions demand resilient and advanced capabilities.

From a regional perspective, Finland’s adoption of the Gabriel missile significantly alters the naval balance in the Baltic Sea. Sweden continues to rely on the RBS15 Mk3 system with a similar range, while Russia deploys a mix of Kalibr and Oniks cruise missiles aboard its Baltic Fleet corvettes and coastal batteries, both of which exceed 300 kilometers in strike reach. By integrating the Gabriel, Finland narrows the gap with its neighbors and reinforces NATO’s northern flank with a modern precision strike option. Unlike legacy systems, the PTO2020 offers superior survivability against electronic countermeasures, enhancing Finland’s capacity to operate independently while remaining interoperable with allied forces. This move underscores Helsinki’s determination to field cutting-edge deterrent capabilities in a region where maritime dominance is becoming a decisive factor in overall security calculations.