
ASD at SecD-Day 2025: industry’s critical role in Europe’s security
ASD Secretary General Jan Pie moderated a high-level panel at SecD-Day 2025 in Finland, addressing the critical role of industry in securing Europe’s defence amidst a rapidly evolving security landscape.
How can industry and defence work together to secure Europe's future? ASD Secretary General, Jan Pie, explored this crucial question at the SecD-Day Conference & Exhibition in Finland, where he moderated a high-level panel on the vital partnership between defence and industry.
The Conference is organised by the Finnish Defence & Aerospace Industries (PIA). The panel, titled "There is no defence without industry", brought together voices from NATO, the European Commission, Finnish defence, and leading industry experts:
- Ms. Tarja Jaakkola, Assistant Secretary General, Defence Investment, NATO
- Mr. Timo Pesonen, Director-General for Defense Industry and Space, European Commission
- Mr. Esa Rautalinko, CEO, Patria and Chairman of the Board, PIA
- Mr. Olli Ruutu, Finnish National Armaments Director, Ministry of Defence
- LTG Jari Mikkonen, Deputy Chief of Staff, Logistics and Armaments, Joint Command
The discussion addressed the evolving security landscape in Europe, emphasising the critical role of industry in ensuring defence readiness.
Jan Pie said during the conference: “Europe must respond decisively and without further delay to the dramatically deteriorating security landscape. I am confident the conference highlighted both Finland’s and Finnish defence industry’s crucial role in this context, particularly in view of the country's extensive NATO border with Russia and its recognition as one of Europe's strongest societies in preparedness, crisis management, and military capabilities.”
Read more
- The costs of relying on non-European defence suppliersMost defence procurement decisions have important ramifications: militarily, technologically, strategically, and politically. Consequently, the predominance of non-European suppliers on European defence markets bears far-reaching implications for Europe’s...
- Industry perspectives on the White Paper on the Future of European DefenceIn their mission letters from the President of the European Commission, the Commissioner-designate for Defence and Space and the High Representative-designate of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy have been tasked with presenting a White Pa...
- Why do we need a European defence industry?Discover why a strong European Defence Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB) is vital for ensuring Europe's security, independence, and military readiness with state-of-the-art defence systems and equipment