Ensuring security of supply: pragmatic defence autarky and Finland’s defence industry

Finland’s defence industry is best described as pragmatic. Finland’s sense of isolation at the northeastern corner of Europe and sharing a 1,300 km border with Russia has created a defence industrial policy which prioritizes security of supply to meet the Finnish Defence Forces’ (FDF) demands in all situations, including crises and war. Seen through the lens of pragmatic defence autarky, this article assesses Finland’s defence industry’s role in supplying the FDF with small arms, ammunition, and a range of niche products, as well as the critical provision of a full range of maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services. Using three case studies from land, sea, and air, the findings document how the private small- and medium-sized companies that dominate Finland’s defence industry work closely with the armed forces and cooperate with foreign OEMs to maintain limited self-sufficiency in arms and ensure security of supply via local MRO capacity in what has become an increasingly complex and high-cost global arms market.