Tampella's Niinisalo Testing Range Advanced Weapons Development

In the early 1960s, Finnish armaments manufacturer Tampella required a new testing range for the development of weapons and ammunition. Previous test firings had been conducted on Lake Näsijärvi, but this was no longer suitable for new product development.

The company negotiated with the Ministry of Defence and, in December 1963, secured permission to use the Defence Forces' artillery firing range at Niinisalo and Katajaluoto for a fee. The agreement allowed Tampella to utilize its own equipment and personnel for test firings. Measurement equipment, representing the technological peak of its time in Finland, was also installed at the facility.

As operations expanded, Tampella requested permission to construct a permanent direct fire range for mortars west of the main Niinisalo firing area. Approval was granted in October 1967. The 20-year agreement included a clause allowing the Ministry of Defence to terminate it with immediate effect, with Tampella's structures becoming state property without compensation.

The testing range was actively used for several years, notably for testing the internal and external ballistics of mortar rounds. Between 1966 and 1970, over 1,300 rounds were fired using 60 mm, 81 mm, 120 mm, and 160 mm mortars. A newly developed grooving system significantly improved projectile accuracy and was patented in Germany and Finland by the late 1960s.