Heiskanen represnting Finland in NATOMC / X
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Mikko Heiskanen, a retired Lieutenant General and former Deputy Chief of Staff for Armaments and Logistics of the Finnish Defence Forces, has been appointed to the board of Elbit Systems Finland. The appointment was announced in April 2025 by the Finnish arm of Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest defence technology manufacturer.
Heiskanen’s military career began in the early 1980s and spanned four decades. He served in a wide range of roles, including instructor, company commander, and chief logistics officer. His international assignments included positions as Finland’s Military Representative to the European Union and NATO. He was promoted to Lieutenant General in 2022 and retired in 2024.
During his time in uniform, Heiskanen developed expertise in military logistics, cyber defence, and armaments. His final post involved overseeing logistics and procurement for the Finnish Defence Forces, placing him at the centre of Finland’s military supply chain. He formally left service shortly before his board appointment was made public.
Elbit Systems Finland welcomed the appointment by stating that Heiskanen would contribute strategic insight, particularly in logistics and international defence cooperation. The company’s local subsidiary supports procurement and technology integration for the Finnish Defence Forces and other Nordic clients. Its parent company, Elbit Systems Ltd, is a key supplier of drones, electronic warfare systems, and integrated military platforms to the Israeli military.
Public reaction to the appointment has been mixed. Criticism has focused on the speed of the transition from public to private defence roles and the nature of the firm involved. On the online forum Vauva.fi, one user wrote, “Aika nopea siirtymä puolustusvoimista suoraan aseyhtiön hallitukseen. Eikö näissä ole mitään karenssia?” (“Pretty quick move from the Defence Forces straight to the board of an arms company. Isn’t there supposed to be any cooling-off period?”)
Others questioned the optics of joining an Israeli arms firm during an ongoing war. “Mietin kyllä, että miltä tämä näyttää kansainvälisesti, kun suomalaiskenraali siirtyy israelilaisen yhtiön palvelukseen juuri nyt,” wrote another commenter. (“I do wonder how this looks internationally, when a Finnish general joins an Israeli company right now.”)
Finland does not currently enforce a formal mandatory cooling-off period for retired military officers before accepting positions in private defence firms. Legal scholars and defence policy experts have debated whether such transitions should be regulated more strictly. Similar discussions have taken place in other European countries and within NATO.
Heiskanen has addressed the controversy in brief public remarks. He stated that he considered ethical issues before accepting the role and does not see his appointment as linked to Israeli government actions. He did not comment directly on the Gaza war or Elbit Systems’ involvement in military operations.
Elbit Systems has been identified by multiple organisations as a supplier of weapons and surveillance equipment used by the Israeli military in Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon. The company’s Hermes 450 and 900 drones have been involved in both reconnaissance and strike missions. In April 2024, one such drone was reportedly used in a strike that killed seven aid workers from World Central Kitchen in Gaza. The incident was widely condemned and described by several human rights groups as a potential war crime.
Elbit’s equipment is integrated into the Israeli Defence Forces’ operational platforms. These include guidance and targeting systems, helmet displays, and communications gear for tanks, helicopters, and jets. Reports from human rights organisations, including Amnesty International and the American Friends Service Committee, have accused the company of enabling attacks on civilians and contributing to what they describe as a pattern of unlawful military conduct.
In Finland, the government has not formally commented on Heiskanen’s appointment. The Ministry of Defence stated that retired officers are free to pursue private sector opportunities, provided they do not disclose classified information or violate national security laws. Parliament has not opened any formal inquiry into the matter.
While public opinion remains divided, some commentators view the appointment as part of a broader pattern linking the military and defence industries. “Tässä nähdään taas, miten puolustusvoimien ja aseteollisuuden suhteet ovat läheiset,” wrote a user on Vauva.fi. (“Here we see again how close the relationship between the Defence Forces and the arms industry is.”)
Elbit Systems Finland has operated locally for over a decade, participating in various defence tenders and technology partnerships. In recent years, the company has expanded its footprint in the Nordic region, particularly following Finland’s accession to NATO. Its parent company reported increased profits in 2024, citing high demand from the Israeli military amid the Gaza conflict.
According to financial reports, Elbit Systems’ quarterly revenue rose by more than 30 percent following the escalation of hostilities in Gaza and southern Lebanon. The company’s CEO has stated that demand for its systems remains strong across NATO countries and Asia.
Defence sector analysts expect scrutiny over such appointments to continue, particularly as military conflicts and public awareness of arms sales increase. Human rights groups have called on European governments to enforce stricter policies on post-service employment and to assess the human rights implications of industry ties.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has intensified since the Israeli assault on Gaza started in 2023. According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, more than 50,000 Palestinians have been killed, including an estimated 17,000 children, as reported by Al Jazeera in March 2025. Over 113,000 people have been injured and thousands remain unaccounted for. The majority of the casualties have resulted from ongoing Israeli military operations involving aerial bombardments, artillery shelling, and blockades. The health infrastructure has collapsed, aid access remains restricted, and basic supplies are scarce. These conditions have left Gaza’s civilian population in what several humanitarian groups have described as a state of mass starvation and extreme suffering.
United Nations experts and major human rights organisations have formally accused Israel of committing acts of genocide in Gaza. By May 2025, UN bodies reported over 52,500 deaths, a large share of them women and children, and described the destruction as consistent with genocidal warfare. The UN Special Committee on Israeli practices cited systematic displacement, starvation tactics, and deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure. Amnesty International, in a December 2024 report, concluded that Israel was committing genocide under international law. Human Rights Watch has echoed this assessment, highlighting plans to destroy remaining civilian infrastructure and displace the population. These assessments have led to calls for immediate international action and criminal accountability for those responsible.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
