NATO defense and security innovation testing events to be held in Finland

Finland’s Ministry of Defense announced a series of NATO defense and security innovation testing events to be held in the country in June.

"Finland will provide high-quality and realistic conditions as well as infrastructure for a series of world-class tests. The NATO-led testing events bring together developers of new technologies and end users from defense ministries, and will promote harmonization and improved interoperability of allied systems in complex operational conditions," Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen said on Monday, as quoted by the ministry.

As part of the tests, companies developing defense and security technologies will be able to verify the functionality of their innovations and ensure they meet requirements in real conditions and environments. The events will be organized in different regions of the country, allowing companies to test their innovations in either a maritime operational environment, a northern operational area, a NATO eastern border area, or a command center context, the ministry said.

Finnish and international companies from NATO countries will participate in the tests. Technology areas to be tested include command and control systems and their integration, artificial intelligence and data processing applications, communications technologies, sensor systems and counter-drone systems.

The Innovaatioharjoitus testing ground will also host tests as part of NATO’s Layered Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems Initiative (LCI-X).