Finnish Defence Industry and Research Sector Strengthen Cooperation

Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen visited the Oy Sisu Auto Ab factory in Karjaa on Monday, May 25, 2026. In connection with the visit, leading players from the domestic defence industry and research sector signed a significant Letter of Intent (LoI) to establish the new C4IMobility cooperation program.

Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen welcomes the cooperative initiative. "The Finnish defence industry and its related R&D activities are an increasingly vital part of our national defence capability. We can see globally how innovation capacity has become an element that alters the strategic balance of power. In addition to the defence perspective, it is significant that Finnish expertise in the defence industry also helps build a new foundation for our national prosperity," says Minister of Defence Häkkänen.

The Letter of Intent was signed by Oy Sisu Auto Ab, Aegisnet, Arbonaut, Conlog, Nokia, Nordic Inertial, Rumble Tools, Savox, University of Oulu and University of Turku, as well as VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. By signing, the parties express their intention to negotiate and potentially finalize agreements to launch the new technology program.

The goal of the C4IMobility program is to research, develop, and commercialize next-generation mobility solutions to meet the evolving demands of the defence sector. The collaboration aims to create innovative, high-performance solutions that also support security of supply.

Tomi Gardemeister, CEO of Oy Sisu Auto Ab, considers the upcoming project an exceptionally important milestone:

- The signed Letter of Intent is a significant demonstration of the high level of cooperation between the Finnish defence industry and research institutions. This agreement creates substantial opportunities for all parties involved to research, develop, and commercialize new capabilities for defence needs, Gardemeister summarizes.

The cooperation program strengthens Finland's position at the forefront of international military technology and vehicle development, while also deepening the interaction between industry and the scientific community.

The C4IMobility cooperation program is designed to be a dynamic and expanding network. In addition to the founding members, it is possible for other technology and defense sector operators to join the program at a later stage, bringing with them complementary cutting-edge expertise.