Finland won’t join NATO’s new weapons procurement program for Ukraine, opting instead to rely on its own defense industry. Finnish Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen has announced that his country is focusing on a domestic industrial program, Yle reports. 

“We have allocated our resources to an internal industrial program, under which we place orders for Ukraine from companies across Finland,” he states.

A decision to back local industry — and still help Ukraine

Häkkänen emphasizes that the program was developed in cooperation with Ukraine to provide “maximum support” and that other countries understand Finland’s approach, especially given its shared border with Russia.

“We continue to support Ukraine with strong commitment and energy, but now we are prioritizing production by domestic companies,” he adds.

Different approaches within NATO with one common goal

Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Sweden, Norway, and Denmark had allocated over $500 million to buy weapons for Ukraine through NATO’s new procurement mechanism. Finland has chosen a different vector, but its support remains consistent and strategically vital.

The US Air Force has announced a search for contractors to develop a new air-launched cruise missile under the working title LACM (Lugged Affordable Cruise Missile). Aviation Week reports, the project is largely based on the concept of the ERAM missile, which is being developed specifically for Ukrainian fighter jets. 

What sets the LACM apart is its focus on low-altitude flight, no higher than 300 meters, with the ability to strike at angles exceeding 70 degrees. A critical requirement is the ability to mass-produce the missile within two years of the contract’s start, at a cost not exceeding $300,000 per unit.

The missile will be compatible with standard external pylons on fighter jets or internal weapons bays, according to Militarnyi.

At least three potential companies are being considered in the early phase of the LACM program: Anduril (with its Barracuda-500M missile), Zone 5 Technologies (Rusty Dagger), and CoAspire, which is already working on the Rapidly Adaptable Affordable Cruise Missile. However, other manufacturers, including L3Harris, may also join the competition.