Jarkko Karsikas

Thrilled to share my recent interview where I discuss Zero Trust and cybersecurity. It was a wonderful experience reflecting on my journey and insights in Zero Trust. Let’s all do our share and improve our security posture by regularly updating our home routers, computers, and phones. After all, we don't want to serve as a launching pad for the next big security breach. I hope you find it as enlightening as I found the discussion. Feel free to share your thoughts and feedback!

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The Finnish Defence Forces Logistics Command (FDFLOGCOM) and the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) will jointly start the preparation of framework agreements for the procurement of military optronics. Major General Jari Mikkonen, Director of the Finnish Defence Forces Logistics Command (FDFLOGCOM), and Brigadier General Jonas Lotsne, Director of the Land Systems Division of the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) signed an Implementation Agreement (IA) on joint procurement of military optronics on 17 April 2024. According to the IA, Finland and Sweden will jointly start the preparation of framework agreements for the procurement of military optronics. Other Nordic Defense Cooperation (NORDEFCO) countries may also join the framework agreements at a later stage. The Nordic Defence Cooperation (Nordefco) is a collaboration among the Nordic countries in the area of defence. Its five members are Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. The aim of the organization is to strengthen the member countries’ defence capabilities by identifying areas for cooperation and to promote effective solutions. The memorandum of understanding was signed in Helsinki on November 4, 2009, succeeding the Nordic Supportive Defence Structures (NORDSUP), the Nordic armaments cooperation (NORDAC) and the Nordic Coordinated Arrangement for Military Peace Support (NORDCAPS), previous parallel cooperative arrangements. Participation in the NORDEFCO is voluntary and states can choose which areas they want to collaborate within and to what extent. #military #defense #defence #militaryleak https://lnkd.in/gpzEpQMB

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NATO military base will be forward stationed / centered on 🇸🇪 Sweden Gotland - geopolitical reinforcement and fortification of the Baltic Sea against 🇷🇺 Russia! Sweden‘s accession to NATO is of highest strategic importance and of critical effects based value for the Atlantic Alliance. Containment of Russia in the backyard of the Baltic states should be great news and relief for the benefit of Northern European security and stability. Just wonder whether some smart actions against enemy lines of communications might be launched to prevent countermeasures by Russia 🇷🇺 and Belarus 🇧🇾 and force posture into Oblast Kalingrad through Suwalki gap. That tiny strip will remain of strategic significance and should raise western attention over next months. Increased pressure might be exerted on Bundeswehr (German Federal Armed Forces) to deploy reinforcements to Lithuania 🇱🇹; that in turn would not allow for extended time ratio to establish combat/war readiness for the bulk of forces still undermanned and ill equipped. And for sure: the building of Kindergarten and cosy wellness facilities must not be a pre condition for critical military security measures; to the opposite should those peacetime desk plans be neglected for the benefit of soldiers and their families. Germany 🇩🇪 seems to be a safer place for noncombatant personnel - in the meantime…. Disclosures: Built up and transition phase to any operational readiness in place will be of critical importance and require OPSEC and coverage. No further data and activities should be released or published henceforth. I limit myself to this geopolitical intent from NATO/national perspectives. Should any opponent and bad counter measure be revealed through social media channels, those are good to go public. Bundesministerium der Verteidigung Stefanie Dr. Babst Serap Güler Roderich Kiesewetter Tomasz Grzywaczewski Tony Sztypuljak Nikki Searancke Hanno Pevkur Alexander Vindman European Leadership Network (ELN) Ihor Baranetskyi, Ph.D. Peter B. Bartram Dr. Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann Deutscher Bundestag Bundeswehr (German Federal Armed Forces) Deutscher BundeswehrVerband Bundeswehr Wir. Dienen. Deutschland.

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Three Royal Air Force (RAF) Typhoon jets arrived in Finland to temporarily support the United States-led exercise Swift Response and contribute to training missions in Estonia. Forward deployed under NATO’s Agile Combat Employment concept which describes projecting a fighter capability with a small – in this case 50-strong – support detachment, the Typhoon jets are poised to take part in sorties out of Tikkakoski, Finland. The US-led exercise Swift Response is part of the NATO Steadfast Defender exercise series. Steadfast Defender encompasses Allied forces multi-domain enablement and deployment of forces and demonstrates NATO’s readiness to defend all Allies. Find out more: https://lnkd.in/dwDwsEcy #RAF #airforce #Eurofighter #Typhoon #Finland #SwiftResponse #SteadfastDefender #defence #aerospace #military

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💥 Elevate your training with the #PatriaNEMO Training Simulator! Experience authentic firing procedures in a high-quality VBS4 virtual environment. Network capabilities allow for group exercises, combining different simulators for comprehensive training. Benefit from our expertise for the growing needs of NEMO customers. Discover more in our video: Patria NEMO Training Simulator – Virtual Firepower! 🎯 #PatriaNEMO #VirtualTraining #MilitarySimulation #firepower

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Sweden's accession to NATO in 2023 strengthens the alliance's technological advantage. This is built upon a long history of military innovation, dating back to World War II with the highly effective Bofors 40 mm anti-aircraft gun. This commitment to science-based solutions for contemporary military challenges continues today. The development of the Visby-class corvette, for example, stands as a testament to Sweden's technological foresight, predating similar designs fielded by other NATO allies. The Baltic Sea's limited depth creates an ideal environment for exploiting the capabilities of silent, diesel-electric submarines with Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP) systems, like those employed by the Gotland-class. These vessels can leverage the seabed topography and natural hydro-acoustic layers to achieve superior acoustic masking, making them exceedingly difficult for adversaries to detect with anti-submarine warfare (ASW) assets. This advantage extends beyond the Baltic Sea, offering NATO a valuable capability in other theatres of operation. Sweden's ongoing military modernisation emphasises the seamless integration of novel technologies with existing conventional forces. This strategic approach is particularly relevant for a nation that has traditionally faced more powerful adversaries. Within the context of this "undermatch" scenario, modern warfare has presented unforeseen advantages for the ostensibly weaker force. Sweden's ability to leverage innovative tactics and weaponry to establish a defensive asymmetric advantage is now a significant asset that bolsters NATO's collective defence posture. The Gotland-class submarine serves as a potent illustration of this strategic concept, providing significant benefits to NATO: Superior Anti-Submarine Warfare Capabilities: The Gotland-class submarines' stealth characteristics significantly complicate adversary ASW efforts, enhancing NATO's overall deterrent posture in the Baltic Sea region and beyond. Sweden's next-generation A26 submarines promise to further elevate the challenges associated with detection and provide NATO with additional advantages: Covert Special Forces Deployment: The A26 class's capability to clandestinely deploy special operations forces provides NATO with a strategic advantage for sensitive missions. Extended Underwater Endurance: The A26 design's anticipated endurance of up to 50 days expands NATO's underwater operational reach and mission flexibility. The Swedish Navy's demonstrably proficient operational expertise in littoral environments and shallow waters positions them as a valuable strategic asset for NATO, not just within the confines of the Baltic Sea. Their success with silent, stealthy submarines underscores the transformative potential of military innovation in mitigating power disparities within the modern battlespace. This strengthens NATO's defensive capabilities on a global scale. More than happy to have Swedish staff in my Division at Allied Maritime Command.

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Nixu and Lockheed Martin cooperate to strengthen Finnish #cyber resilience. 🤝 Nixu, a DNV company, has signed three major cooperation agreements with Lockheed Martin Corporation to bolster Finland's national cyber resilience. The timeline of the projects spans over three years, from 2024 to 2026. ▶ Read the press release: https://lnkd.in/dWBuDPz2 “This laboratory will benefit the Finnish economy by providing organizations with a whole new opportunity to fortify cyber security,” says Kim Westerlund, Head of Cyber Security Solutions at Nixu. The cooperation, conducted with academic and business partners, is part of Finland’s acquisition of F-35 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin. The total value of all such indirect industrial cooperation projects is at least 500 million euros. "We are proud and honoured to participate in this cooperation with a world-class player and a wide consortium. Our great delight is that the overall theme – cyber #resilience – is also a strategic business initiative for Nixu", highlights Teemu Salmi, CEO of Nixu. Key initiatives include: 🔹 Modern Cyber Security Laboratory 🔹 AI-based Advanced Threat Detection 🔹 Context-aware Threat Intelligence #CyberSecurity #Nixu #LockheedMartin #AI #ThreatIntelligence

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Swedish Armed Forces to contribute forces to NATO’s Forward Land Forces in Latvia. As a recent NATO ally, Sweden’s ambition is to contribute to NATO’s core tasks as soon as possible: deterrence and collective defence, conflict prevention and crisis management and security cooperation. The Swedish Government has decided that in early 2025, Sweden will contribute a reduced battalion with approximately 600 soldiers to Alliance’s Enhanced Forward Presence, Forward Land Forces (FLF) in Latvia, a brigade under Canadian command. Sweden and Canada have a long-standing, strong and dynamic relationship that spans across multiple areas of common interest. As allies in NATO, we look forward to deepening it even further! Swedish Armed Forces NATO Department of National Defence/Ministère de la défense nationale

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NATO Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) concluded its two-week anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare exercise Dynamic Mongoose 24 in Reykjavik, Iceland, May 10. Led by Commander, Submarines NATO (COMSUBNATO) in Northwood and hosted by Norway, the annual exercise brought together Allied ships, submarines and aircraft in the cold waters of the Greenland-Iceland-United Kingdom (GIUK)-Norway Gap. Units from Canada, Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States converged for the highly complex maritime exercise that kicked off April 29 in Stavanger, Norway. This year, for the first time since its accession on March 7, Sweden participated in the exercise as a full NATO member nation, bringing the advanced technology and stealth of one of its Gotland-class submarines. Sweden last participated in Dynamic Mongoose in 2015 as a NATO partner nation. As units transited toward Iceland, MARCOM’s exercise control team presented units a series of challenges that increased in complexity. These included tactical communication tasks from seabed to space, maneuvering drills, and shallow-water operations near the Faroe Islands. The Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United States provided submarines for the exercise. The submarine crews took turns hunting and being hunted, switching roles to maximize training opportunities for all crews. By working together, the exercise improved interoperability and understanding among crews, increasing readiness. #military #defense #defence #militaryleak https://lnkd.in/dq4nFiJ3

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NATO Maritime Command (MARCOM) concluded its two-week anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare exercise Dynamic Mongoose 24 in Reykjavik, Iceland, May 10. Units from Canada, Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States converged for the highly complex maritime exercise that kicked off April 29 in Stavanger, Norway. This year, for the first time since its accession on March 7, Sweden participated in the exercise as a full NATO member nation, bringing the advanced technology and stealth of one of its Gotland-class submarines. Sweden last participated in Dynamic Mongoose in 2015 as a NATO partner nation. The Gotland-class submarines of the Swedish Navy are modern diesel-electric submarines, which were designed and built by the Saab in Sweden. They are the first submarines in the world to feature a Stirling engine air-independent propulsion (AIP) system, which extends their underwater endurance from a few days to weeks. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/diyPDrhP #NATO #MARCOM #navy #ASW #antisubmarinewarfare #Gotland #submarine #Sweden #DynamicMongoose24 #military #armedforces

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Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace Launches NOMADS Mobile SHORAD NOMADS protects maneuvering army forces, transportation routes, command centers, and logistical areas in a dynamic land combat environment. The system’s high mobility, maneuverability, firepower, and level of protection meet the standards for mechanized units, providing comprehensive air defense coverage. https://hubs.la/Q02CBxpx0

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SWEDEN OPENS UP SPACE BASE ESRANGE FOR THE LAUNCH OF MILITARY SATELLITES The Swedish Government aims to offer EU and NATO member states the opportunity to launch military satellites from its Arctic Space Base Esrange outside Kiruna. This initiative was announced today by Foreign Minister Tobias Billström (M), as he launched Sweden's new space strategy in the US. As a NATO member, space will be one of the sectors to which Sweden will contribute most clearly, according to the Swedish Government. Space Base Esrange is the obvious site from which NATO countries in Europe can launch military satellites into space. Today, France is the only EU/NATO member state that offers the launch of satellites to fellow member states.

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“Norway, as one of the Host Nations for NATO Exercise STEADFAST DETERRENCE 2024 (#STDC24), supports the Allied Reaction Force (ARF) with a response cell, replicating the operational and the strategic level. Role players from the Norwegian total defence concept, including the Police and the Directorate for Civilian Protection (DSB) add important value to the overall complexity of the exercise. Furthermore, focusing on the Nordic region, cooperating alongside Sweden and Finland adds new perspective and issues for the ARF and NATO to consider. NATO Rapid Deployable Corps - Italy (NRDC-ITA) is well prepared and with JWC facilitating the exercise, the ARF is given maximum value from all the opportunities presented. Norway supports Allied training in Norway and the importance of NATO cohesion.” - STDC24 Norwegian Response Cell Chief #WeAreNATO Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) Direktoratet for samfunnssikkerhet og beredskap (DSB) Swedish Armed Forces Puolustusvoimat - Försvarsmakten - Finnish Defence Forces NATO Allied Command Transformation (ACT)

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🚀 Eviden strengthens Europe's Space Situational Awareness (SSA) with EMISSARY Project Participation! Eviden is proud to be part of the EMISSARY consortium, which has been awarded with a €100-million contract by The European Defence Fund (EDF) in the "Initial operational capacity for Space Situational Awareness C2 and sensors" call. This initiative aligns perfectly with Eviden's commitment to foster data-driven solutions for a secure and sovereign Europe. Coordinated by Leonardo, EMISSARY unites 47 partners across 13 European countries. The project aims to significantly enhance Space Domain Awareness (SDA) by developing a next-generation sensor network and a military-grade Space Situational Awareness Command and Control (C2) system. Eviden brings extensive experience and expertise in Satellite monitoring and Satellite Tracking solutions to the #EMISSARY project and demonstrates our capabilities in developing technological innovations for maintaining national and European sovereignty in space, providing crucial data handling and dissemination tools to strengthen our defense capabilities against space-based threats. ✨ EMISSARY represents a significant milestone in Europe's journey towards self-reliance in space. Eviden is excited to play a major role in this crucial project, which is shaping a safer and more secure space environment for Europe. #SpaceSafety #SituationalAwareness #EDF

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The Norwegian Ministry of Defence is actively preparing to enhance its land forces' capabilities with new Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS), aimed at bolstering precision strike abilities over long distances. To this end, Oslo is considering two procurement routes: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) and an open tender process. Hanwha Aerospace’s K239 Chunmoo MLRS is one of the leading candidates, frequently compared to the U.S. Lockheed Martin’s HIMARS. However, the Chunmoo boasts several advantages, including lower costs and faster delivery times. It can fire a wider variety of rockets and missiles from two launch pods, compared to HIMARS’ single pod, providing a clear tactical edge. The Chunmoo system can launch 239mm and 280mm rockets and missiles with ranges of 80km and 160km, respectively. Additionally, it can deploy a 290mm ballistic missile with a range of up to 290km. The system’s firepower includes the capability to launch six 239mm missiles in 30 seconds and a total of 12 missiles in one minute, with reloading taking only seven minutes. Hanwha Aerospace is also developing the CTM-160 missile, expected to be ready by 2026 with deliveries starting in 2027. This system will load four missiles per pod, enhancing the launcher’s firepower. The CTM-290 missile has already seen successful tests, the latest being in April 2024 from a Polish variant of the Chunmoo. Find out more: https://lnkd.in/dFmiE3by

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COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE - Question: I am not a Maritime Lawyer - however, if they are Dark Fleet tankers, can they not be seized and held according to Maritime Law, Piracy, Illegal Contrabrand ? An interesting inspection to ensure Nautical Safety and Security.., if correct, have they not be known to sail with Navigation turned off?

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