The Helsinki government is requesting an additional funding of 35 million euros from the EU for drone detection and neutralization systems, and for staff training, following recent incidents at the border with Russia.
The Finnish government announced on Thursday, April 9, that it will request additional funding of 35 million euros from the European Commission for the acquisition of advanced drone detection and neutralization systems. The measure comes after, at the end of March, three Ukrainian drones crashed on Finnish territory, highlighting the vulnerabilities of the aerial surveillance system, reports Agerpres, citing EFE.
According to an official statement from the Helsinki government, the new equipment will allow for a “significant improvement” in Finland’s ability to monitor the appearance of drones over its eastern border with Russia and in the Gulf of Finland area, which represents an important step in strengthening defense against unmanned aircraft that can be used for military or espionage purposes.
The funds were requested from the European Union’s Financial Support Instrument for Border Management and Visa Policy (IBMF) and will cover approximately 90% of the costs for the acquisition of systems and technical training of Finnish personnel in their operation.