In the hypothetical case that an armed conflict broke out, Finlandia It was necessary to respond by digging up a imposing arsenal of 200,000 assault rifles stored since the early 90s. 100,000 Chinese manufacturing weapons and another 100,000 from the extinct Eastern Germany. , defense forces have confirmed that these rifles continue In reserve and prepared to be used “if the worst occurs”.
The weapons were acquired after the collapse of the Soviet bloc, at a time when Europe reduced its articles, but Finland, immersed in a severe recession, chose to reinforce its defensive capacity. The purchase was justified by its low costalthough it generated criticism by those who preferred to buy national rifles of the manufacturer Sakosignificantly more expensive.
In 2012, It was considered to destroy 100,000 rifles, but the project was discarded. The then Minister of Defense, Stefan Wallinsaid that weapons would be kept how part of the inventory of war times. Since then, they have remained stored, and their maintenance, especially that of Chinese rifles, has been subject to sporadic discussions. According to a report from Helsingin Sanomatthese weapons were Coated with Vaseline and required a Long cleaning and grease process.
Defense forces have pointed out that rifles barely use in training times. Only some models of Eastern Germany are used in limited roles, such as Tank crew armament. However, its main function is to be available in case of warsupporting a military force that is intended to increase to one million reservists.
The future of individual armament in Finland points to jeans jacket m23a new weapon compatible with NATO standards. Derived from American designs, this rifle will be tested in the field before making decisions about its mass acquisition. Even so, defense forces have not revealed when these tests will end.
Arsenal accumulated by Finland in the 90s also includes 300 million cartridges of East German origin. Although known for containing Mercury, official studies concluded that exposure levels during use are safe. However, its use in times of peace is restricted by caution.
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