Petteri Alinikula, Research Director, SaabInvesting in research in key areas of technology ensures that our future product generations will also be competitive.
Aalto University and the defense and security company Saab AB signed a ten-year research cooperation agreement in 2017. In the spring of 2025, the parties made a second ten-year cooperation agreement to strengthen and deepen their research cooperation in areas related to antenna technology, microelectronics, radar signal processing, artificial intelligence, and hydroacoustics.
“For Aalto, collaboration with Saab means an opportunity to invest long-term in research in critical high-technology areas. Thanks to the agreement, Aalto University can expand and deepen research activities in the field and train new experts” says Ilkka Niemelä, President of Aalto University.
The primary model of collaboration has become doctoral research cooperation, which both Saab and Aalto University have been extremely pleased with. One of the objectives of the previous agreement was the employment of doctors graduating from the collaboration, including in Saab’s product development teams, where they play key roles in developing new sensor products. The university's important role is to educate top experts in their fields, and close collaboration with industry helps fulfil this mission.
“Saab’s successful history is built on constant innovation. In order to maintain that position, we must understand and benefit from the emerging technologies at the frontline of current research. The collaboration with Aalto University clearly shows the benefits of cooperation between academia, industry and government to address our common needs”, says Micael Johansson, President and CEO of Saab.
Research collaboration with top scientists has produced new technologies for industrial use. The cooperation guides research work by bringing current issues to the forefront and helps in better understanding the needs of businesses. The collaboration has also produced several dozen joint publications and multiple patents.
The second ten-year collaboration agreement strengthens and deepens research cooperation
The modern defence industry emphasises rapid innovation and agility. However, the foundation for new solutions requires time-consuming, cutting-edge research. This necessary deep expertise is being developed through long-term research collaboration between two DDE members, Saab Finland and Aalto University.
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A good brand has been developed for collaboration between Aalto University and the Saab Group, as well as a reputation for knowing how to do things right.
Henri Kähkönen wrote his doctoral thesis in co-operation with Saab
Doctoral students thank Saab’s experts for their help and the company’s real-life application challenges.
In addition to wireless data transmission, the technology helps to develop radars.
With the support of Saab, doctoral student Jouko Kinnari is researching how positioning would be possible without satellite positioning systems.
In Jouko Kinnari's doctoral dissertation, the location of a drone can be determined using map data and sensors.
