Finland’s Minister of Defence approves framework agreement for inertial navigation devices with French company Safran
Finland’s Minister of Defence, Antti Häkkänen, has authorized the Finnish Defence Forces to sign a framework agreement for the acquisition of inertial navigation devices, according to the Ministry of Defence. Häkkänen stated that this procurement aims to enhance the ability of all branches of the military to maintain location data independent of global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) and to ensure precise targeting for weapon systems.
The term GNSS refers to global satellite navigation systems, the most recognized and widely used being the GPS system developed by the United States. Specialist Frans Peltonen from the Ministry of Defence explained that inertial navigation devices can determine location without relying on GPS, enabling the use of weapon systems despite GPS jamming.
The framework agreement covers the procurement of these inertial navigation devices for the years 2024-2031, with the equipment to be supplied by the French company Safran Electronics & Defence. The total value of the procurement, excluding VAT and options, is estimated at €48 million.
In September, the Finnish transport and communications agency Traficom reported a significant increase in GPS jamming incidents in the Gulf of Finland, likely due to interference originating from Russia. Earlier this year, Finnair temporarily suspended flights to Tartu, Estonia, due to GPS disruptions in the area. There were also incidents during the summer in which Finnair flights were unable to land at Joensuu Airport due to GPS jamming. Furthermore, disruptions to satellite navigation have significantly affected annual aerial photography and laser scanning flights conducted by the National Land Survey of Finland, particularly in Southeast Finland.
According to Peltonen, the procurement of inertial navigation devices has been in preparation for a considerable time. While changes in the security environment are being monitored and addressed, the initiative is also driven by the long-term needs of the Defence Forces.