Finland and Sweden deepen joint procurement relationship
Finnish Defence Forces Logistics Command and Swedish defence materiel agency FMV signed an agreement on 3 September for potential joint procurement of infantry weapons ‘and associated technologies’.
Col Rainer Peltoniemi, Inspector of Infantry in the Finnish Defence Forces, explained: ‘The aim is to improve interoperability between Finland and Sweden including the compatibility of materiel and security of supply of both countries.’
This announcement coincides with strong indications that Sweden will join the Finnish/Latvian Common Armoured Vehicle System.
Finland and Sweden signed an information exchange agreement in April for small arms and related technologies.
In the latest Technical Arrangement phase, Finland and Sweden pledged to ‘create conditions for carrying out procurements involving a family of small arms and associated accessories to be used by both countries as joint procurements’.
Finnish signatory Maj Gen Kari Renko mentioned that optronic systems would be included in the agreement as well as weapons and ammunition.
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