Finland has appointed satellite manufacturer ICEYE to lead a consortium that will enhance the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities of the country’s F-35 program.
Joining the consortium are key Finnish defense and tech industry players, such as Insta, Huld, and DA-Group, together with the Finnish Meteorological Institute.
They will work on AI-powered analytics, mobile ISR cell development, and high-performance Synthetic Aperture Radar imaging designed for the weather and light conditions on NATO’s northern flank.
These space-based capabilities support both civilian and military applications, as well as land, sea, and air domains.
In particular, Insta will bring its “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,” according to the company’s senior VP Petri Reiman.
Huld will use its extensive experience in the space, national security, and defense domains, while DA-Group will provide its security innovations.
Additionally, American defense manufacturer Lockheed Martin forms part of the association to contribute its next-generation sensor processing framework.
Lockheed will also provide its AI-enabled and cloud-based Global Automated Target Recognition system, which combines deep learning algorithms and open-source libraries to automate satellite image analysis.
Rod Drury, Lockheed Martin Space VP for Global Business, said that their solutions will “provide the Finnish Defense Forces with enhanced situational awareness and reliable decision support for multi-domain operations.”
Overall, ICEYE Chief Strategy Officer and Co-founder Pekka Laurila noted that its consortium leadership is a 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.”