Finland has put into service an Israeli-made surface-to-surface missile, reports Helsingin Sanomat.
The Gabriel missile will replace a Swedish system due to be retired at the end of the decade.
The weapon can target not only enemy vessels but also land-based targets, and has a reported range of more than 200 kilometres. For now, the missiles are being deployed on Hamina-class missile boats.
The purchase has not been without controversy. Finland's acquisition of Israeli weaponry has drawn criticism in light of the war in Gaza.
Earlier this month, Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen said Finland's substantial arms purchases from Israel are extremely important, of top quality, and very well suited to the Defence Forces.
Most attention has focused on David's Sling, an Israeli-made high-altitude air-defence system. Finland signed a deal for its delivery at the end of 2023. Häkkänen has called it "a critically important piece in Finland's air defence," as it replaces a capability that has been decommissioned.
