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Impact of teaching Responsibility and interaction Impact of research In line with its vision, the National Defence University advances the overall security of the nation and the stability of society through its research and expertise in military s...

6.12.2025 | Field Devotional, Senior Military Chaplain of the Karelia Brigade Jarkko Lievonen

3.10.2025 | The third National Defence University conferment ceremony was held in Helsinki between 18 and 20 September 2025. At the conferment ceremony, 23 doctors of military sciences graduating after 2018 and 5 Honorary Doctors were conferred. Conferment grants them the right to use the doctoral hat and sword.

3.10.2025 | The third National Defence University conferment ceremony was held in Helsinki between 18 and 20 September 2025. At the conferment ceremony, 23 doctors of military sciences graduating after 2018 and 5 Honorary Doctors were conferred. Conferment grants them the right to use the doctoral hat and sword.

18.10.2023 | For the first time, the Future Military Leaders Seminar was organized at the Finnish National Defence University in Santahamina from 12-13 October 2023. Personnel and students from the Finnish and Swedish defence universities attended the two-day seminar. Last time, the seminar was held in Sweden in May 2022.

25.4.2024 | Commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, Lieutenant General Oleksandr Pavliuk visited Finland on the 22-23 April at the invitation of the Commander of the Finnish Army, Lieutenant General Pasi Välimäki.

25.4.2024 | Commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, Lieutenant General Oleksandr Pavliuk visited Finland on the 22-23 April at the invitation of the Commander of the Finnish Army, Lieutenant General Pasi Välimäki.

6.12.2023 | Esteemed veterans, lottas, and other representatives of the generation of our wars, ladies and gentlemen, soldiers! We are living through exceptional times. Ukraine fights heroically for all of Europe. In the Artic Sea and Baltic Sea, cables and gas pipeline have been damaged.

11.8.2023 | Master of Military Sciences Course 11 (SM11), Officer Pilots’ Programme (SMOHJ16) and the Executive Assistance Programme (SMVIR21) graduate today Friday 11 August 2023.

12.6.2023 | Commander of the Finnish Defence Forces, General Timo Kivinen, and NATO Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, General Philippe Lavigne, signed a joint declaration on June 12, 2023, marking the closure of the military integration process of Finland’s NATO membership.

Finnish Defence Forces organizes two parades a year: on the Flag Day 4th June and on the Independence Day 6th December. The parades offer the public a view to the military troops, vessels and material.

1.3.2020 | Commemorative speech by Commander of the Finnish Defence Forces at the 105th Anniversary of the Jaeger Training in Germany

16.6.2017 Finland achieved two medals in the CISM World Military Orienteering Championship 15.6.2017 Poland and Russia the gold medalists in the relay race 14.6.2017 50 CISM World Military Orienteering Championships 13.6.2017 Mironova and Sild now...

25.8.2023 | 107th Cadet and 90th Midshipman course graduated as Bachelors of Military Sciences on the 25th of August. President of the Republic Sauli Niinistö promoted 163 graduating Officer Cadets to Lieutenant in the Presidential Palace Hall of State. The stately and traditional graduation day is an unforgettable experience for young officers beginning a career that is more international than ever.

4.6.2023 | Major General Juha-Pekka Keränen held a speech in Jyväskylä 4th of June, 2023

6.12.2025 | Esteemed Veterans and Lottas of our wars, esteemed Guests of Honour, Ladies and Gentlemen, Parade Troops. Ärade veteraner och lottor från våra krig, ärade inbjudna gäster, bästa publik, paradtrupper.

Fit for military service During the compulsory military service, the proportion of physical training takes up almost half of the time used for training. The aim is for conscripts to use physical education to find ways to maintain an active lifesty...

MIlitary Sports is about better physical training for conscripts, offering good opportunities for personnell, and competions. The sports and physival training is always based on best practises and research.

18.11.2021 | Nordefco's Green Defence webinar, organised under Finland's leadership, discussed common Nordic funds to promote environmentally sustainable procurement of defence equipment and the related circular economy. Nordefco's long-term goal is to be operational in accordance with the principles of sustainable development.

23.12.2020 | Finnish peacekeepers,

23.12.2020 | Finnish peacekeepers,

16.10.2019 | The Anniversary Seminar of the Finnish Defence Forces International Centre, FINCENT, will be held on 23 October. The theme of the Seminar involves the future of crisis management and preparation for its challenges through education and training. Lieutenant General (ret.), Roméo Dallaire will be the Seminar’s principal keynote speaker. The Seminar will be streamed online on our website.

2.10.2019 | The Finnish National Defence University will organise the annual Russia Seminar on 2 April 2020. The call for papers now welcomes abstracts for presentations relating to the seminar’s themes.

27.2.2026 | This year, the Army Seminar programme included talks about Russia’s war of aggression given by Ukrainian soldiers and discussions about collective defence of NATO’s Eastern flank. Apart from Ukraine, the 7th Army Seminar also had participants from NATO member states’ Army commands, NATO commands and the Finnish Defence Forces’ services.

15.12.2025 | The Commander of the Finnish Army, Lieutenant General Pasi Välimäki, presented the unit flag of the Karelia Brigade to Colonel Tomi Pekurinen on Monday, 15 December. Colonel Pekurinen will assume his duties as Commander of the Karelia Brigade on 1 January 2026.

6.12.2017 | The field devotional during the review of troops was held by FINAF’s Senior Chaplain Kari Mannermaa at the Keskuskenttä football stadium in Kuopio.

6.12.2016 | Our most honoured war veterans and Lottas, ladies and gentlemen, soldiers.

4.6.2025 | Speech by the Reviewing Officer of the Finnish Defence Forces Flag Day Parade, Commander of the Finnish Air Force, Major General Timo Herranen, at the review of troops on 4 June 2025.

27.2.2026 | This year, the Army Seminar programme included talks about Russia’s war of aggression given by Ukrainian soldiers and discussions about collective defence of NATO’s Eastern flank. Apart from Ukraine, the 7th Army Seminar also had participants from NATO member states’ Army commands, NATO commands and the Finnish Defence Forces’ services.

16.12.2025 | Finland’s first F-35A multirole fighter, designated JF-501, was presented to the public at a rollout ceremony at Lockheed Martin’s production facility in Fort Worth on 16 December.

15.12.2025 | The Commander of the Finnish Army, Lieutenant General Pasi Välimäki, presented the unit flag of the Karelia Brigade to Colonel Tomi Pekurinen on Monday, 15 December. Colonel Pekurinen will assume his duties as Commander of the Karelia Brigade on 1 January 2026.

9.6.2026 | Finnish Defence Research Agency Research Bulletin 2026–5 24.3.2026 The Finnish Defence Research Agency (FDRA) is a multidisciplinary research organization, conducting defence-related research, development and testing in the fields of strategy and ...

18.7.2025 | The Chief of the Defence Command Finland, Lieutenant General Vesa Virtanen, visited the United Kingdom on 15- 17 July 2025. The visit included a meeting with the Vice Chief of Defence Staff of the UK armed forces, General Sharon Nesmith.

23.1.2025 | Commander of the Finnish Defence Forces, General Janne Jaakkola visited Poland on 22-23 January 2023. The visit was hosted by the Commander of the Polish Armed Forces, General Wiesław Kukuła.

11.6.2017 | The Finnish Defence Force´s Chief of Education Brigadier General Jukka Sonninen’s Opening Speech

25.9.2023 | The participation of the Defence Forces in the United Nations-led operation MINUSMA in Mali has ended. Finnish peacekeepers returned home on Sunday 24 September 2023.

29.11.2024 | The current Commander of the Finnish Air Force, Major General Juha-Pekka Keränen, will retire to the reserve at the end of November 2024.

16.12.2025 | Finland’s first F-35A multirole fighter, designated JF-501, was presented to the public at a rollout ceremony at Lockheed Martin’s production facility in Fort Worth on 16 December.

6.12.2022 | Esteemed veterans and lottas of our wars, ladies and gentlemen, soldiers! [Ärade veteraner och lottor från våra krig, bästa festgäster, soldater!]

11.6.2024 | The Finnish fighter detachment deployed to Romania has passed a NATO evaluation and has been declared ready to start doing Quick Reaction Alert duty at Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base.