Due to the current coronavirus pandemic situation and in adherence to the restrictions and guidelines in effect in the area, the Finnish Defence Forces cancels the National Finnish Independence Day Parade and its side events planned to be arranged in Lahti on 6 December.
By canceling the parade, the Finnish Defence Forces wants to ensure safeguarding the health security of persons liable for military service, of salaried service personnel, of the general public, and of all stakeholders, and to prevent the virus from spreading.
Programme for the day
Finnish Defence Forces’ equipment and gear will be on display for familiarisation at Kauppatori. In conjunction with the equipment display, the Soldiers’ Home Canteen will be selling refreshments.
The equipment display will feature the following:
- Main Battle Tank Leopard 2A6
- Infantry Fighting Vehicle BMP-2M
- Surface-to-air missile NASAMS ITO12 NASAMS II FIN launcher
- Armoured Personnel Carrier XA-360
- Armoured Personnel Carrier SISU XA-185
- Infantry Fighting Vehicle CV9030
- Surface-to-air missile 15 (ITO15)
- Marksman GBAD Armoured Vehicle
- XA-361 Armoured Mortar Vehicle
- Tactical Patrol Vehicle RG32M
- Heavy Rocket Launcher 298 RSRAKH 06 (M270)
- Miniature Unmanned Aerial System (MUAS)
- EOD Robot Teodor
- Heavy Maintenance Vehicle Sisu E13TP-8X8
- Medium-Range Surveillance Radar KEVA 2010
- Target drone Banshee 500
- Target drone AT 04
- Minehunter ROV-E (Seafox)
- Anti-ship missile battery launch vehicle
- Bottom Mine PM04
- Influence Mine PM16
- Electromechanical Naval Mine S43–55
- Electromechanical Naval Mine S58
The Independence Day will begin with a wreath laying ceremony at Ristinkirkko Lutheran Church at 9.
At the fallen soldiers’ memorial cemetery, Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Petri Hulkko, and Mayor of Lahti Pekka Timonen will lay a wreath by the Statue of Freedom.
The reservists’ organisations will lay a wreath on the Monument for Commemorating Those Left in Karelia.
At the event, music will be performed by the Tiirismaa Upper Secondary School Choir.
On the Independence Day, a Lutheran Service will be held at Ristinkirkko Lutheran Church at 10. Additional information will be available at https://www.lahdenseurakunnat.fi/.
The review of troops will be arranged at the Kisapuisto Stadium at 12. As the troops will be aligning to position stating at 11:30, it is recommended that the public arrive on site well on time.
The troops will be reviewed by Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Petri Hulkko, and the parade troops will be commanded by Deputy Chief of Staff Army Operations, Brigadier General Tero Ylitalo, and the field devotional will be delivered by Senior Chaplain Sanna Timonen. In the review of troops, music will be performed by the Guards Band and the Tiirismaa Upper Secondary School Choir.
Order of review of troops:
- Choir
- The Guards Band
- Swallow-Tailed State Flag
- Jaeger Flag
- Massed Standards of Veterans
- Finnish Army Colour Party, Army Academy
- Finnish Navy Colour Party, Nylands Brigade
- Finnish Air Force Colour Party, Air Force Academy
- Border and Coast Guard Academy
- National Defence University
- Guard Jaeger Regiment
- Karelia Brigade
- Utti Jaeger Regiment
- Pori Brigade
- Armoured Brigade
- Päijät-Häme Local Defence Company
- Kanta-Häme Local Defence Company
- Massed Standards of National Defence Organisations
- Soldiers' Home Association
- National Defence Training Association of Finland
- Peacekeepers’ Association
- Women’s National Emergency Preparedness Association
- Women's National Defence Union
A. Reviewer of the Parade
B. Parade Troops’ Commander
C. Senior Chaplain
The pass-in-review conducted on Vapaudenkatu starting at 13:15 will involve up to 1,300 persons, 55 vehicles, 14 aircraft, as well as a heritage cavalry detachment of the Cavalry Guild.
The flypasts of the pass-in-review will feature Finnish Army NH90 transport helicopters and Hughes MD500 light helicopters as well as FAF F/A-18 Hornet multirole fighters and Hawk jet trainers. The flypasts will cause noise over the area of Lahti city centre.
The pass-in-review can be observed along Vapaudenkatu. The dismounted detachments marching on foot will deploy at the start of Kyösti Kallion katu, Lahdenkatu and Vapaudenkatu with the phase line on Rauhankatu. The pass-in-review start line will be at the intersection of Rauhankatu and Vapaudenkatu. The vehicles get into formation for the pass-in-review on Svinhufvudin katu and Kartanon katu.
The review site for the pass-in-review is located at the market square with the phase line in Mariankatu. The parade will be reviewed by Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Petri Hulkko accompanied by Mayor of Lahti Pekka Timonen, and veterans of our wars.
The parade troops will be commanded by Deputy Chief of Staff Army Operations, BrigadierGeneral Tero Ylitalo.
ORDER OF PASS-IN-REVIEW
The order of the dismounted detachments as part of the parade:
Dismounted detachments
Parade Commander Deputy Chief of Staff Army Operations, Brigadier General Tero Ylitalo
Swallow-Tailed State Flag
Jaeger Flag
Massed Standards of Veterans
Finnish Army Colour Party, Army Academy
Finnish Navy Colour Party, Nylands Brigade
Finnish Air Force Colour Party, Air Force Academy (FAF flypast)
Finnish Border Guard Colour Party, Border and Coast Guard Academy
National Defence University
Guard Jaeger Regiment
Utti Jaeger Regiment
Päijät-Häme Local Defence Company
Kanta-Häme Local Defence Company
Massed Standards of the National Defence Associations
Soldiers’ Home Association
National Defence Training Association of Finland
Peace Keepers’ Association of Finland
Women’s National Emergency Preparedness Association of Finland
Women’s National Defence Union
Army helo flypast
Motorised detachments
Armoured Brigade’s detachment
Main battle tank Leopard 2A6
MBT Leopard 2A6
MBT Leopard 2A6
MBT Leopard 2A6
Infantry fighting vehicle BMP-2M
IFV BMP-2M
IFV BMP-2M
IFV BMP-2M
Armoured Howitzer K9
K9 Command post vehicle
Armoured transport vehicle MT-LBV
ATV MT-LBV
Command post vehicle MT-LBU
ATV MT-LBU (medevac)
High mobility tactical vehicle Sisu E11T 8x8
Surface-to-air missile ITO12 NASAMS II FIN launcher
SAM ITO12 NASAMS II FIN launcher
SAM ITO12 NASAMS II FIN launcher
SAM ITO 12 radar (RCN)
FDC combat C5 system
EO electro optical sensor
Loading vehicle
Target acquisition radar MOSTKA 87
Pori brigade’s detachment (order pending)
Armoured personnel carrier XA-360 (COM and flag)
Armoured personnel carrier XA360
Armoured personnel carrier XA360
Armoured personnel carrier XA360
Armoured personnel carrier XA360
Armoured mortar vehicle XA-361 AMOS
FCP/command post vehicle XA-202
Armoured signals vehicle XA-202 VIAS (VIPA)
Armoured personnel carrier XA180M
Armoured personnel carrier XA180M
CBRNe intelligence vehicle XA-185ST
Tactical patrol vehicle RG32
Tactical patrol vehicle RG32
Field gun 155K98
Field gun 155K98
Heavy rocket launcher 298
Karelia Brigade’s detachment
Infantry fighting vehicle CV9030
IFV CV9030
IFV CV9030
IFV CV9030
Main battle tank Leopard 2A6
MBT Leopard 2A6
Infantry fighting vehicle CV9030 (NLAW)
IFV CV9030 (NLAW)
Surface-to-air missile ITO 05
Armoured recovery vehicle Leopard 1
Armoured bridge layer
Armoured mortar vehicle AMOS XA-361
Armoured signals vehicle XA-202 VIPA
Field gun 155 K 98
Field gun 155 K 98
Cavalry Detachment
The Guards Band
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