Defence & Security

The global defence and security landscape has undergone a fundamental shift in recent years. Finland and other countries are responding to the changing geopolitical environment by significantly increasing investments in national defence and security capabilities. At the same time, the traditionally state-dominated defence sector is experiencing a transformation in its financing landscape. New investment instruments and specialised private equity funds are being developed to enable direct investment in defence contractors and suppliers, including manufacturers of military equipment and dual-use products. The sector is opening to broader private capital participation. Strategic transactions, joint ventures and corporate reorganisations across the defence ecosystem are expected.

We advise corporates, growth companies, institutional investors and public sector entities on the full spectrum of defence and security-related legal matters. Our services range from transactional work and defence procurement contracts to cross-border investments, foreign direct investment (FDI) screening, export control and sanctions advisory, IT and outsourcing arrangements, regulatory compliance and competition law.

We regularly assist clients with complex structuring and financing of defence-related operations and investments. Our team has extensive experience in navigating FDI approval processes in Finland and coordinating multi-jurisdictional filings in the sensitive sectors of defence, critical technology and cybersecurity. We also advise on sector-specific regulation, including export controls and compliance frameworks related to military equipment, dual-use goods and sensitive technologies.

Our Defence & Security team works seamlessly with our market-leading practices in M&A, technology, finance and regulatory to deliver commercially minded, multidisciplinary solutions. Clients choose us for our ability to combine legal precision with a deep understanding of the operational realities of the defence sector and for our track record in guiding high-stakes mandates in an increasingly complex environment.

We also partner with a select group of high-potential start-ups in the defence and security sector, providing strategic legal support from their earliest stages. By guiding these innovators through complex regulatory, contractual and financing matters, we help them scale effectively and compliantly in a demanding industry and allow them to focus on developing new solutions for the market.

Other references
  • We advised a major European aerospace and defence company on regulatory and contractual matters related to the Finnish HX Fighter Program, the largest arms procurement in Finnish history, involving the planned purchase of 64 fighter jets
  • We advised a global defence technology company on the Finnish foreign direct investment (FDI) and other legal aspects of its acquisition of a secure data sharing business
  • We advised a Nordic defence contractor in a dispute concerning the supply of critical naval systems to the defence forces of a Nordic country
  • We advised a US-based aerospace and defence group on the attempted acquisition of a leading Nordic defence industry company
  • We advised an Israeli defence manufacturer in a contentious public procurement matter involving the Finnish Defence Forces
  • We advised a Nordic air navigation service provider on public procurement and contractual matters related to a group-wide reorganisation
Share: