REPUBLIC OF FINLAND

CURRENT NAVAL ENSIGNS & FLAGS

In 1978, some modifications were made to Finnish flags. The most important of these was the adoption of a darker shade of blue for the cross. For flags bearing the coat of arms at the intersection of the cross, the shield lost its point at the bottom, becoming a square panel, though the official state arms still feature a shield with a rounded lower half. The presidential flag was modified to display the full Cross of Freedom in the canton, where previously a simplified representation of this decoration appeared. As has been the case since 1918, the forked flag with the coat of arms is reserved for the use of the armed forces, and there are no rank flags as such for admirals. In addition to the presidential flag, there is also a presidential pennant, which replaces the normal commissioning pennant aboard any naval vessel on which the president (who is supreme commander of the armed forces) is embarked. Ceremonial colors for naval units are rectangular with a shallow three-tailed fork. Those of the two Naval Commands display the badge of the Navy with the arms of the cities where they are headquartered in the upper hoist: Helsinki (Archipelago Naval Command) and Turku (Gulf of Finland Naval Command). Naval stations have similar flags without the crossed cannon. Colors of flotillas display the unit badge on a white field. Image Added October 2015 Ceremonial Color, 6th Missile Attack Flotilla

APPOINTMENT & COMMAND FLAGS & PENNANTS
PRESIDENT OF FINLAND  •  ENSIGN	PRESIDENT OF FINLAND  •  PENNANT

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