Kala-class landing craft
| {{Infobox ship begin
|sclass=2 |infobox caption= Kala class }} {{Infobox ship image | Ship image=Kala - kuljetuslautta.jpg | Ship caption= }} {{Infobox ship class overview | Builders=*Rauma-Repola (3 ships)
{{cite book |last = Tuurnala |first = Alpo |date = 2004 |title = Harmaa laivat |trans-title = The gray ships |language = Finnish |location = |publisher = John Nurmisen Säätiö |page = 22 |isbn = 952-9745-16-8 }} | Operators=Finnish Navy | Class before= | Class after={{sclass2|Kampela|landing craft|4}} | Subclasses= | In commission range= | Total ships building= | Total ships planned= | Total ships cancelled= | Total ships active= | Total ships laid up= | Total ships lost= | Total ships retired= | Total ships scrapped= | Total ships preserved= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header= | Header caption= | Ship type=Utility landing craft | Ship displacement=*{{convert|60|MT|LT|abbr=on}} (empty){{cite magazine |last1=Auvinen |first1=Visa|date=1979 |number=2 #22 |pages=6-10 |title=Rannikkotykistön aluksia vuodesta 1915 - nykypäivään |url=https://rannikonpuolustaja.fi/wp-content/uploads/Lehtiarkisto_PDF/1970-luku/1979_2.pdf |trans-title= Ships of the coastal artillery from 1915 to present |format=PDF |magazine=Rannikon Puolustaja |language=Finnish |location= |publisher=Rannikkotykistön Upseeriyhdistys |url-status= |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=2025-01-22 |quote=}} | Ship dead weight= | Ship length={{convert|27|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship beam={{convert|8|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship draught= | Ship draft={{convert|1.2|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship propulsion=2 × {{cvt|180|hp|order=flip}} | Ship speed={{convert|9|knots|km/h}} | Ship range= | Ship capacity={{convert|100|MT|LT|abbr=on}} | Ship sensors= | Ship EW= | Ship armament=1 × {{cvt|20|mm}} gun | Ship armour= | Ship armor= | Ship aircraft= | Ship aircraft facilities= | Ship notes= }} |
The Kala-class landing craft were a series of utility landing craft operated by the Finnish Navy from the 1950s to early 2000s. The class had six ships and several ships of the class remain in civilian use as of 2025.
Design
The Kala class was designed in 1950s as part of Finnish Navy post-World War II reconstruction. The design requirements called for {{convert|100|MT|LT|adj=on}} cargo capacity with at least a {{convert|38|MT|adj=on}} single unit load (ie. a tank). The ships were to be able to unload cargo directly on the shore without the need of a pier. The Finnish Navy had experience with German Siebel ferries during World War II and partly based the Kala class on their design. The Kala class was designed with catamaran hull for both large cargo area and stability. A bow ramp was provided for vehicles. The ships had also provisions for naval mine rails so that they could act as minelayers. The original requirements also included the ability to break the ships into loads for road transport, with two hull pontoons and dismantled deck structure. In practice the road transport ability was seldom used.
Ships in service
The ships in the class, Kala 1 through Kala 6 were built by Rauma-Repola in Valko and Haminan konepaja, three ships each. The ships were used to supply coastal forts, served with amphibious troops and were used for general logistics supply and transport needs. The design was considered successful and the following {{sclass2|Kampela|landing craft|4}} is an enlarged and improved version of the Kala class. As originally built the Kala class had minimal superstructure with only a small control cabin in the rear and received the nickname "floating telephone booths". The ships were rebuilt between 1975 and 1980 with enlarged superstructure and new, modernized bridge.
Kala 4 and Kala 5 were experimentally armed with German 10.5 cm SK C/32 naval guns between 1960 and 1964, a single gun each. The guns were removed after the experiment and the other members of the class were not armed with them.{{cite book
|last1 = Kiiskinen
|first1 = Pekka
|last2 = Wahlman
|first2 = Pasi
|date = 2003
|title = Itsenäisen Suomen laivaston laivatykit 1918-2004
|trans-title = The naval guns of Finland 1918-2004
|language = Finnish
|location = Helsinki
|publisher = Typomic Oy
|chapter = 105 mm:n merikanuuna (Rheinmetall) 105 45 32 LT
|pages = 101-102
|isbn = 952-91-6807-1
}}
Civilian use
The Finnish Navy sold the Kala-class ships as military surplus in the early 2000s. Several ships of the class survive in civilian use: Kala 5 was sold to Harjanti Oy as MS Hessu{{cite web |last=Kuokkanen |first=Marita |date=2003-06-16 |title=M/S Hessu hoitaa majakat ja mökit |url=https://www.is.fi/taloussanomat/art-2000001389882.html |trans-title=M/S Hessu services lighthouses and summer cottages |website= |language=Finnish |location= |publisher=Ilta-Sanomat |access-date=2025-01-22}} and Kala 6 to Meripojat Oy.{{cite web
|last =
|first =
|date =
|title = Palvelut: Vesirakentaminen & Merikuljetukset
|url = https://meripojat.fi/palvelut/
|trans-title = Services: Sea construction & transport
|website = Meripojat Oy
|language = Finnish
|location =
|publisher =
|at = Kala 6 kuljetuslautta
|access-date = 2025-01-22
}} The Helsinki city fire department purchased Kala 3 for oil spill cleanup duties and renamed the vessel Miina.{{cite web |last= |first= |date=2020-09-30 |title=Uusi öljyntorjunta-alus tuo jykevää kuljetuskykyä Helsinkiin |url=https://pelastusalan.ammattilainen.fi/uusi-oljyntorjunta-alus-tuo-jykevaa-kuljetuskykya-helsinkiin/ |trans-title=New oil spill cleanup ship improves Helsinki transport capacity |website= |language=Finnish |location= |publisher=Pelastusalan Ammattilainen |access-date=2025-01-22}}{{cite web |last=Helen |first=Heikki |date= |title=Alusluokka / Design class: Kala (1956) |url=http://www.hhlweb.org/01-kala_1956.htm |trans-title= |website=Heikki Helenin laivasivut |language= |location= |publisher= |access-date=2025-01-22}} Kala 4 caused concern when it was found in the possession of {{ill|Airiston Helmi|fi}} after the company was raided by Finnish police for suspected economic crimes. The company was also suspected of being a front for Russian intelligence agencies. Kala 4 had been modified to better suit transporting tourists rather than heavy equipment as originally built.{{cite web |last=Pylvänäinen |first=Laura |date=2018-09-24 |title=Sotilasasiantuntija: Venäläisomistusten avoimuus on omituista – ”Ainoa hyöty olisi rauhan ajan vakoilu” |url= https://www.is.fi/kotimaa/art-2000005838965.html|trans-title=Military expert: Openness of Russian ownership is unusual - "the only benefit would be peace time espionage" |website= |language=Finnish |location= |publisher=Ilta-Sanomat |access-date=2025-01-22 |quote=Airiston Helmen ostama Puolustusvoimien entinen Kala-kuljetuslautta on remontoitu niin, että se soveltuu paremmin ihmisryhmien kuljettamiseen. |trans-quote=Former navy Kala-class transport purchased by Airiston Helmi has been rebuilt to better transport groups of people.}}