The Commander of NATO’s Allied Command Transformation, Admiral Pierre Vandier, visited Finland on 17-18 December 2025. The visit was hosted by the Commander of the Finnish Defence Forces, General Janne Jaakkola.
The Allied Command Transformation (ACT) is responsible for the strategic development of the Alliance. This work is led by the Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT), Admiral Pierre Vandier.
The main themes of the visit were technology and innovation. Admiral Vandier was introduced to Finnish defence technology during company visits. Discussions also focused on the development of the Finnish Defence Forces’ artificial intelligence capabilities and cooperation with industry partners in AI technology. The visit also included a tour of the Finnish Naval Academy at Suomenlinna.
According to the Commander of the Finnish Defence Forces, General Janne Jaakkola, the changing security environment requires not only traditional strategic planning and defence capability building but also faster development.
“The security environment and battlefield are undergoing changes. It is important that we stay abreast of this development – from both a national defence perspective and that of deterrence and collective defence. Rapid development is possible through close cooperation between the defence administration and businesses. We introduced Finnish companies and solutions to Admiral Vandier, which can be, and are, beneficial to the alliance and our allies”, General Jaakkola says. “We are part of a modern alliance that is constantly looking for new ways to evolve and promote common goals”, he continues.
Admiral Vandier’s visit to Finland is part of a broader strategic planning and development effort within the alliance, aimed at strengthening NATO’s defence capabilities and preparing for future threats.
Admiral Vandier emphasizes the importance of adaptability and efficiency. He states:
“Finland demonstrates key characteristics of modern defence: societal resilience, fast innovation, and the effective integration of emerging technologies into operational capabilities. The ability to connect military requirements with civilian resilience and industrial capacity within increasingly compressed timelines is essential. For NATO, this underscores a central priority: innovation must result in deployable and interoperable capabilities at the speed and scale required by today’s security environment. This requires closer engagement with industry, accelerated experimentation, and a deliberate reduction in the time needed to move from concept development to operational fielding. Time has become a critical factor in military effectiveness, and adapting defence processes accordingly is essential to ensure the Alliance is ready for the fight tonight and for the fight tomorrow.”
