🇫🇮 Finland leverages 6G prowess as national defence network goes nationwide

February 23, 2026 – As the defence and security sector rapidly gains importance in the shifting global security climate, Finland is consolidating its technological lead in the dual-use sector. The DEFINE network—an industrial framework designed to bridge the gap between civilian innovation and military application—has transitioned into a nationwide entity. Supported by the Finnish Innovation Fund, Sitra, the expansion now integrates five cities and two universities of applied sciences, with Oulu emerging as a strategic lynchpin for wireless infrastructure.

Integrating Oulu’s wireless expertise into national security

The inclusion of Oulu serves as a critical catalyst for the national defence framework, embedding the region’s established 6G and radio technology expertise into the state’s security apparatus. By aligning Oulu’s high-tech corridor with national interests, Finland aims to secure a competitive advantage in secure communications—a sector of growing economic and tactical importance. This nationalisation of the DEFINE network is expected to stimulate high-value exports, cross-border investment, and industrial growth across the domestic defence sector.

On the global stage, DEFINE is positioning itself as a primary gateway for NATO collaboration. This is most evident through the University of Oulu’s 6G Test Centre, which functions as a vital node within the NATO Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA).

A bridge between research and the defence market

“Through our 6G Test Centre and the DEFINE network, we are building a bridge between cutting-edge research and the real needs of the defence sector. Our goal is that solutions developed in Oulu will serve the security of Finland and our allies, while generating new business and international growth. We operate our own 5G and 6G test network, which enables demanding and realistic field-testing and demonstration environments for future communication technologies through our partner network,” says Research Director Hannu Nikurautio from the University of Oulu.

The strategic objective remains the acceleration of “lab-to-market” pathways for Finnish SMEs. By providing access to globally rare radio-frequency measurement equipment, the DIANA-affiliated centre allows firms to validate emerging technologies against rigorous military standards. This ecosystem-led approach aims to connect Oulu’s telecommunications cluster directly with the defence procurement market.

Recognising the unique profile of the Oulu region

“The Oulu region’s profile is nationally unique and internationally highly exceptional, and now our high-tech expertise has been recognised and discovered also from the perspective of dual-use technologies. We have established good dialogue with integrators and prime companies, and we are now jointly advancing the creation of a productised demo pathway. Ultimately, increased turnover will define the impact of our work,” says Jussi Leponiemi, ICT and Defence Sector Account Manager at BusinessOulu.

While Oulu provides the communications backbone, the City of Riihimäki continues to lead the national implementation and international coordination with NATO and EU partners. The collaboration represents a broader Finnish strategy: leveraging regional specialisations—from Oulu’s wireless tech to Riihimäki’s focus on data and artificial intelligence—to build a unified, internationally significant innovation ecosystem.

Building a unified innovation ecosystem

“Through nationwide cooperation, we are building DEFINE into a unique Finnish actor that meets the needs of the Defence Forces, NATO and the EU,” comments Riihimäki’s Mayor Jouni Eho.

“In Riihimäki, we are developing a testing and validation environment for growth companies focusing on data and artificial intelligence, to which Oulu’s expertise brings an important contribution, and collaboration has already begun,” says Teemu Seppälä, Riihimäki’s Director of Technology and Innovation and leader of the DEFINE network.

Originally published on February 23, 2026 by 6G Flagship.