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STOCKHOLM (BNS): The Finnish Army will procure more RBS 70 short range air defence missile systems from Sweden’s defence firm Saab Group.

The country has awarded a contract worth over $35 million to the company to supply the ground based air defence systems to its army.

First deliveries of materiel are scheduled for 2011, Saab announced.

The Finnish Army had placed an order for RBS 70s with Saab in 2007.

The RBS 70, specifically designed for the army’s use, is a man-portable/vehicle-mounted air defence missile system. It can be carried by most wheeled and tracked vehicles.

The missile can be operated independently in stand-alone mode or can be configured with several firing units linked with a surveillance radar. The Giraffe land mobile radar, mounted on a truck, can be linked to nine such missiles to form an anti-aircraft battery.

The missile takes credit for being the first laser guided defence missile system in the world.

In its basic configuration, the RBS 70 comprises a stand, sight and missile. The missile is equipped with a solid propellant booster motor and a solid propellant sustainer motor.