Sweden-Finland Join: NATO's Military Strike Power Will Increase Significantly, Here's The Count

Illustration of the Finnish military K98 155 artillery. (Wikimedia Commons/MKFI)

JAKARTA - The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) will have a significant advantage, increasing the military's hitting power, both in terms of skills and weapons, if Finland and Sweden officially join.

Sweden's governing party said the country would vote to join the military alliance, while Finland is expected to ratify its implementation on Monday.

Finland's arsenal of advanced artillery, jets and warships and a highly professional core army would deal the alliance a much bigger blow against Russia.

While on the other hand, Sweden brought a smaller but well-regarded force with tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and submarines.

Finland has a large and effective war force of 280.000 troops, including reservists.

It's also a country that would be difficult to invade, with vast lakes and swamps punctuated by sprawling pine forests.

Finnish F/A 18 Hornet jet illustration. (Wikimedia Commons/bomberpilot)

"Finland has planned very carefully the concept of operation to stop the Russian invasion, they know their terrain very well," said Sam Cranny-Evans, a military expert at the Russian think tank, quoted by The National News, May 17.

"They are very confident and well equipped and they certainly don't add to the burden on NATO."

He further assessed that Finland probably would not need a heavy NATO presence to shore up its defenses that having a large US combat brigade in the country might prove to be a burden.

Helsinki would be more likely to ask the US for "combined effects", such as providing intelligence and fire support from warships and aircraft.

Finland's squadron of F-18 jets are all top-of-the-line, with the ability to fire highly effective long-range Joint Air-to-Surface Stand-off Missiles.

In addition, its Air Force will be significantly upgraded when it receives the first of 64 fifth-generation F-35s in 2025, along with the F-35s from Norway and Denmark, making them a formidable aerial adversary.

Finnish special forces illustration. (Wikimedia Commons/Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum)

The war in Ukraine has taught armies around the world the effectiveness of heavy, accurate artillery fire in destroying mass armored vehicles. Finland is at the forefront of this doctrine.

Finland has also purchased South Korea's K9 Thunder tracking artillery, one of the most advanced in the world, which has the capability to fire shells up to 53 kilometers.

Unlike Sweden, Finland never reduced its armed forces after the Cold War. But its Scandinavian neighbor went from 100.000 troops in 1995 to just 15.000 in 2018.

Recognizing the increasing threat from Russia, however, Sweden has rebuilt a force of 23.000 men and is spending more and more of its defense budget.

With a strong national defense industrial base, Sweden produces high-level equipment, including drones, warships, and armored vehicles.

The most important of these is the CV-90 infantry fighting vehicle that can traverse the winding slopes, carrying a 40mm gun firepower along with eight soldiers and three crew members.

Sweden also has the latest German-made Leopard 2 tank which, using the right tactics, has proven formidable on the European battlefield.

Illustration of Swedish CV-90 armored fighting vehicle. (Wikimedia Commons/Mr Bullitt)

Not only that, its air force consisting of 204 units of the nationally made Gripen, apart from being highly capable, is also fully operational with NATO fighter aircraft. The key point is, the Nordic countries will not, unlike some other NATO members, prove the burden of the alliance with outdated hardware.

They would instead become assets, able to supply independent battle groups to Central Europe or work in expeditionary, peacekeeping roles in places like the Sahel. The two countries also gave NATO more territory for troop bases as well as ports for warships, especially useful against Russia's presence in the Baltic Sea and the Arctic.

In essence, Russia is now facing a significantly enhanced NATO which, with its possible new Nordic member, has substantially increased its firepower. It is also hoped that the new recruits will increase the deterrence value, making the Kremlin reconsider the thought of an invasion.