Lockheed Martin and Finnish technology company Insta are continuing to establish Europe’s first sustainment centre for the M270A2 and HIMARS® MLRS CFCS at Insta’s facility in Tampere, Finland. This will be Europe’s first MLRS fire control system maintenance and sustainment centre.
The M270A2, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, is a tracked heavy rocket launcher system. Partnering with Insta to establish a maintenance and sustainment capability for its fire control system in Finland will strengthen national expertise, security of supply and the ability to ensure system availability throughout its lifecycle.
The new facility demonstrates Lockheed Martin’s commitment to European customers and enhances regional sustainment readiness for M270A2 and HIMARS operators across Europe. It is part of the indirect industrial cooperation associated with Finland’s F-35 program.
For Insta, the new capability marks a significant step in its European sustainment and lifecycle support business and further strengthens its position as an expert in lifecycle support and sustainment for demanding defence systems. It also deepens international cooperation between Finland and other allied nations.
Petri Reiman Comments
“This is an important milestone for Insta and a strong step forward in lifecycle support for critical defence systems. The center will support the sustainment of Finland’s MLRS fleet, strengthen security of supply, and create readiness to provide sustainment services to other European users,” says Petri Reiman, CEO of Insta Advance.
“Our partnership with Insta creates Europe’s first dedicated CFCS sustainment centre in Finland, expanding M270A2 and HIMARS support across the continent. The facility secures the supply chain, speeds logistics and technical services and ensures fire control system availability for Finnish and NATO users,” said Gaylia Campbell, vice president and general manager, Lockheed Martin Tactical Missiles
For customers, the new capability will improve system availability and strengthen the continuity of operations. Lifecycle planning, spare parts support, obsolescence and technical support will help reduce downtime and maintain operational readiness.
This agreement is made possible through a memorandum of understanding (MoU) Lockheed Martin and Insta signed a last December during the roll-out ceremony of the first of Finland’s 64 F-35A fighters, aiming to deepen defence innovation, strengthen industrial resilience and capacity. As a strategic partner of the Finnish Defence Forces, Insta is building long-term maintenance and lifecycle support capability for the avionics systems of Finland’s F-35 fleet.
