Griffin Tech Days 2026 Brought Defense Technology to Arctic Testing in Northern Finland

The Finnish Defence Forces and XD Solutions organized Griffin Tech Days 2026 from 9 to 13 February at the Rovajärvi firing and training area and the Kemijärvi Airfield. The purpose of the event was to test and develop technologies suitable for Special Operations Forces in Finnish winter conditions.

More than 1,000 industry professionals and military observers from 29 different countries participated in the event in Lapland. During the five-day program, approximately 150 defense industry companies showcased technological solutions designed for modern warfare and particularly for northern operating environment. Among the systems subjected to the arctic testing were unmanned systems (UxS), counter-UAS solutions, mobility solutions and navigation systems, as well as command and control systems.

The severe cold at Rovajärvi provided excellent conditions for testing new technological solutions in authentic Finnish winter conditions. The host of Griffin Tech Days, Commander of the Utti Jaeger Regiment, Colonel Kimmo Nordberg, described the event as a success:

“Griffin Tech Days is a significant event for Finnish Special Operations Forces. New industry innovations were tested in temperatures even lower than –25°C, enabling us to analyze their suitability for northern operating environments and identify areas for further development. With participants from several countries, the event brought together a wide range of new and further-developed technologies for testing. Overall, it was clearly evident that lessons learned from the war in Ukraine have been taken into consideration and are being systematically applied in technology development.”

Participating companies received direct feedback on their solutions from Finnish Defence Forces special operations experts. Further analysis and utilization of the test results will continue within the Finnish Defence Forces.