Finland’s Ministry of Defence and Lockheed Martin have taken the first steps in the new agreed F-35 fighter program. VTT, alongside a consortium that includes key Finnish universities, is helping to ensure that Finland has the best possible technological capabilities for the implementation of the F-35 fighter program and its maintenance throughout its life cycle.
Research consortium led by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and Lockheed Martin have finalised a framework agreement for indirect industrial cooperation. Other members of the consortium are defence and technology company Patria, Harp Technologies, a Finnish company involved the development of RF, microwave, and millimeter wave technology and solutions. Two leading, innovative Finnish universities are also in the consortium – Aalto University and the University of Tampere.
Finland is a leading nation of digital technologies with state-owned VTT, founded more than 80 years ago during World War II to develop the most advanced technologies and products. It has previously developed ground-breaking satellite signal technology for the European Space Agency ESA, resulting in the world’s first 75 GHz signals that could ease clutter on the radio waves in the future.
“The purpose of the project is to combine the expertise and technological strengths of different parties, creating highly developed solutions and advanced new expertise that can be applied to the needs of the international defence industry, and to the products of next-generation electronic reconnaissance,” says Sauli Eloranta, Vice President of Safe and Connected Society Research Area at VTT.
The project will strengthen the security of supply of Finland’s technological expertise by drawing more students into digital defence technologies. Lockheed Martin will build and benefit from industry partnerships with Finnish companies, universities.
