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Finnish border guard testing UAVs

Finland, Russia

Testing of the drones takes place in secrecy in cooperation between defense forces and the border guards.

Location

Different unmanned aerial vehicles were tested in Northern Finland last week. The defense establishment will however not comment on the process of acquiring UAVs.

- I will not make any announcements prematurely. So far there is nothing to report. Only when we commence the selection process will we start giving out details about it, says defense spokesman Jyrki Livonen interviewed by Helsingin Sanomat

- We are looking for unmanned aircraft to be used for air surveillance purposed, explains Livonen.

Of the five bidders for UAVs to Finland, four are Israeli firms according to a news site operated by exile-Palestinians.

Finland has a long border to Russia. The border guard has a Air Patrol Squadron today with both helicopters and aircrafts for border surveillance.