Finland’s military exports more than tripled in 2025 to around €702 million, the highest figure in a series dating back to 2002. Sweden was the largest destination for goods actually exported, while Denmark led the value of export licences issued, according to a report published on 26 October by Finnish think tank SaferGlobe.
The distinction is important: export figures record shipments that took place, while licences authorise possible exports. A licence does not necessarily result in a shipment, and any delivery may take place in a different year.
Sweden was the largest market for Finland’s military exports
Military products worth €182.4 million went from Finland to Sweden in 2025, representing 26% of completed exports. Ground vehicles and their components accounted for €93.2 million, while precision rifles and related equipment made up €45.2 million.
Japan ranked second, receiving €107.5 million in military products, almost all of it ground vehicles and components. That was nearly 100 times the value recorded for Japan in 2024. Latvia followed with €81.2 million, also largely involving ground vehicles and parts.
Europe still accounted for 73.7% of Finnish military exports, including 59.8% destined for European Union countries. Its share fell from 94.6% in 2024, partly reflecting the sharp increase in shipments to Japan.
Denmark came first for export licences
Finland issued 479 export and transfer licences for permanent commercial exports of military products in 2025, with a combined authorised value of about €930 million. That was 34.1% below the record €1.4 billion in 2024, but still the second-highest annual value in SaferGlobe’s series.
Denmark led the authorisations, accounting for €195.2 million, or 21% of the total value. Around 99% of the licences granted for Denmark concerned ground vehicles, according to Finland’s Ministry of Defence. Sweden followed at €172 million, or 18.5%, and Spain at €120.8 million, or 13%.
These figures do not mean Denmark received more Finnish military equipment than Sweden in 2025. Sweden led the completed export figures; Denmark led the value of permissions for potential shipments.
Licences and deliveries tell different stories
The difference is visible elsewhere in the data. Finland granted military export licences for Israel worth around €14 million in 2025, but recorded only about €54,500 in actual military exports to the country that year. SaferGlobe also reported two rejected licence applications, concerning Albania and Israel.
SaferGlobe’s figures are based on reports from Finland’s Ministry of Defence and trade data from Finnish Customs. They cover military products separately from civilian firearms, whose exports totalled approximately €125.6 million. Combining the two categories brought the overall export value to around €828 million.
For Finland’s Nordic defence trade, the figures therefore show both where equipment was delivered during 2025 and where future deliveries were authorised. The second measure is not a forecast of how much equipment will ultimately be shipped.
