Finland hosts NATO’s first large-scale defence technology trials to cut deployment time
Monday 8th June 2026 on 16:45 in
Finland
Finland is serving as the testing ground for NATO’s first major defence technology trials, with dozens of companies across four cities participating in a 10-day event aimed at slashing the time it takes to deploy new military capabilities, state broadcaster Yle reports.
The NATO Innovation Range trials, held in Oulu, Joensuu, Turku, and Riihimäki—where the operational command centre is based—seek to reduce the traditional 5–8 year development cycle to just 12–24 months. A smaller pilot took place in Riihimäki last December.
Timo Salonen, Finland’s permanent representative to NATO, said the goal is to build a national ecosystem for military and defence innovation, accelerating the integration of industry-developed solutions into operational use.
Civilian tech plays a growing role in defence, according to Valtteri Vuorisalo, strategic advisor for the Digital Defence Ecosystem business network. “Performance gains now come from data and information—much of it from civilian technology,” he said. Dual-use applications, where commercial products adapt to military needs, are becoming more common.
Around 30 companies are involved in the trials. In Turku, sensors mounted on the Turku University of Applied Sciences’ remotely operated vessel M/S Salama are tracking movements on an uninhabited island in the archipelago, relaying data via secure HF and broadband systems. Mikko Pänkäälä, a senior lecturer at the university, noted the sensors can detect drones, surface vessels, and even underwater activity.
Patria, the Finnish defence firm, is showcasing its unmanned armoured AMV 8×8 vehicle in Riihimäki, testing compatibility with Nokia and Telia’s equipment. Reima Kuutsa, Patria’s NATO affairs lead, said the platform allows rapid sensor redeployment on the battlefield.
Vuorisalo highlighted Finland’s strengths as a testing hub: its long eastern border, firsthand experience with GPS jamming, and a reservist culture where companies actively contribute to national defence.