ICEYE, the global leader in Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite operations for Earth Observation, will be the consortium lead in an industrial participation program for the Finnish Ministry of Defense F-35 program. The consortium will develop advanced space and joint intelligence technologies, and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities for military users such as the Finnish Defense Forces.
The consortium, comprised of ICEYE, and prominent Finnish industry players Insta, Huld, DA-Group, and the Finnish Meteorological Institute as a supplier, will work with Lockheed Martin to advance technological development. This will include the progression of disruptive capabilities such as analytics with Artificial Intelligence (AI), and encompass mobile ISR cell development, advanced analytics, and high-performance SAR imaging for all weather and light conditions, making it especially suitable for the demanding Arctic weather and light conditions of NATO’s Northern Flank. Space-based intelligence remains a vital tool to support military operations across the land, sea, and air, and the program demonstrates Finnish willingness to develop and adopt advanced dual-use technologies that enhance operational efficiency and effectiveness on the modern battlefield.
The partnership between leading innovators within the defense and aerospace industry aims to support the Finnish Defense Forces in enhancing the security of supply and strengthening Finland’s position as a leader in cutting-edge aerospace technology. The advanced capabilities will also present opportunities for further expansion and collaboration with NATO Allies and other friendly nations, paving the way for export growth for the consortium members.
“ICEYE’s role in leading the industry consortium marks a significant milestone. This partnership aligns with our ambition to strengthen information capabilities and develop advanced technologies, ensuring that the Finnish Defense Forces and Allies can be equipped with the vital knowledge and capabilities required to maintain the strategic advantage,” said Pekka Laurila, Chief Strategy Officer and Co-founder of ICEYE.
Lockheed Martin Space will contribute its next-generation sensor processing framework and artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled Global Automated Target Recognition (GATR) system. The cloud-based GATR software automates satellite image analysis by using deep learning algorithms and open-source libraries to quickly identify and classify objects in large areas across the world.
“Lockheed Martin’s advanced mission solutions will provide the Finnish Defense Forces with enhanced situational awareness and reliable decision support for multi-domain operations,” said Rod Drury, Lockheed Martin Space’s vice president for Global Business. “This international technology collaboration demonstrates Lockheed Martin’s commitment to advancing the 21st Century Security capabilities of our NATO allies and mission partners.”
Through strategic partnerships with the Finnish Defense Forces and previous fighter jet acquisitions, technology company Insta has decades of experience in demanding defense solutions. Insta has a strong focus on developing state-of-the-art command and control (C2) systems and modern solutions utilizing data and AI that help execute successful multi-domain operations.
“The most important prerequisite for multi-domain operations is a real-time situational picture. We want to engage in a unique collaboration with top domestic and international experts, thereby ensuring the continuous development of situational awareness security, and performance in an increasingly networked world. We bring to the project our deep understanding and world-class expertise in how different sensor data can be processed and integrated into the C2 systems, and possibly further into the corresponding systems of NATO Allies,” tells Petri Reiman, Senior Vice President from Insta.
Huld has over 35 years of expertise in the space domain, along with extensive experience in national security and defense. “Huld is proud to see this important initiative start, as we have been planning this inspiring project with partners for a long time. We foresee utilizing our best experience in both digital systems and product design to develop this capability with our partners, and to contribute to Finland’s national defense and the safety of our society,” said Matti Anttila, Director, Defence & Space, Huld.
“Security innovations are DA-Group’s driving force. In this consortium, we will bring our innovations for the common good and be better with our partners. We have proven before that we can do big things. DA-Group is now waiting to start working and gain results within the time frame,” said Pekka Airola, Chief Executive Officer of DA-Group.
“The Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) is the main national public organization in the field of space-related services and research in Finland. This partnership on advanced satellite information with key Finnish industrial players, and Lockheed Martin further strengthens FMI’s role as a satellite data and data products provider,“ says Jyri Heilimo, Head of FMI Arctic Space Centre.
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