The Steel Eagle ER drone, developed by Finnish defence company Insta and its Ukrainian partner, at the SecD-Day event organised by the Defence and Aerospace Industry (PIA) Association at Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre on 29 January 2025. LEHTIKUVA
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A Finnish defence company has unveiled a new warfare drone developed in cooperation with Ukraine, reinforcing military ties between the two nations. The Steel Eagle ER, a drone-based explosive weapon, was introduced at the SecD-Day security fair in Helsinki.
The drone, designed by Finland’s Insta Group in partnership with an undisclosed Ukrainian manufacturer, is an upgraded version of Insta’s earlier Steel Eagle model.
It carries an explosive payload that detonates mid-air, dispersing steel and tungsten pellets over a target. The payload is capable of penetrating light-armoured vehicles and inflicting significant damage over a 50-metre radius.
Tuure Lehtoranta, sales and customer director at Insta, said the decision to seek a Ukrainian partner was made last summer.
“Ukraine is at the forefront of modern drone technology, with rapid development cycles and real-world battlefield experience,” Lehtoranta said. “We took a bold step to find a genuine Ukrainian technology partner.”
The drone itself was developed and manufactured in Ukraine, while Insta retains intellectual property rights. Ukrainian developers named the drone Tursas, inspired by Finnish mythology.
The Steel Eagle ER has significantly improved range, electronic warfare resistance, and payload capacity compared to its predecessor. Despite its enhanced capabilities, the drone is reportedly cheaper to produce due to lower manufacturing costs in Ukraine.
Lehtoranta described Ukrainian military interest in the new weapon as “immense.”
“This solution is currently for Ukraine only. All initial sales will be exclusively for Ukrainian use,” he said.
Ukraine has increasingly relied on drone technology for reconnaissance and combat operations since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. By the end of 2024, Kyiv had deployed more than 200,000 domestically produced drones to frontline units.
The Finnish Defence and Aerospace Industry Association reports that more than 10 Finnish defence companies are directly cooperating with Ukrainian firms.
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
