Finland to Lead EU Defence Initiative on Quantum Technologies Under PESCO Framework

Helsinki, Finland — In a significant step toward bolstering Europe’s defence capabilities, Finland has been chosen to lead a new European Union initiative known as QUEST (Quantum Enablers for Strategic Advantage). Announced on May 30, 2025, the project aims to bring cutting-edge quantum technologies into defence applications, focusing especially on positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) systems, situational awareness, and air and missile defence.

The initiative comes under the ambit of PESCO — the EU’s Permanent Structured Cooperation in defence — and represents part of the sixth wave of collaborative defence projects approved by the European Council on May 27, 2025. With the addition of QUEST, the total number of PESCO projects has reached 75.

Finland’s leadership role in QUEST builds on its reputation as a frontrunner in quantum science. According to Finnish Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen, the country’s strong ecosystem of research centres and technology firms, especially its work in quantum computing, sensing, and metrology, places it in a favorable position to drive Europe’s next-generation defence capabilities. The project will be jointly implemented by the Finnish defence administration and the VTT Technical Research Centre.

Among the priorities for QUEST are development of PNT systems that can operate with degraded or denied access to traditional satellite navigation (GNSS), improvements in surveillance and detection technologies, and potential applications in missile defence and domain awareness. In doing so, the initiative seeks to close perceived gaps in EU strategic autonomy, particularly in light of evolving threats emanating from peer competitors and increasing geopolitical uncertainty.

The move is also interpreted as part of a broader EU strategy to reduce dependence on non-EU defence suppliers and technology providers, increase interoperability among member states, and foster a more resilient European defence technology and industrial base. By spearheading a project of this kind, Finland may also benefit from enhanced cooperation, shared investment, and the boost to its national tech sector.

However, challenges lie ahead. Quantum technologies remain largely in research and development phases, with many technical, financial, and regulatory hurdles to overcome before battlefield-ready solutions are widely deployable. Ensuring security, protecting sensitive data, managing export controls, and aligning differing national defence priorities also pose nontrivial obstacles. Moreover, coordination among multiple EU states with diverse industrial capacities and threat perceptions requires clear governance frameworks and sustained political will.

In sum, Finland’s ascendancy to lead QUEST marks a key moment for EU defence policy. As Europe faces pressure from shifting security landscapes, technology competition, and rising military demands, projects like QUEST are seen as essential for ensuring that the EU can defend its interests independently and effectively. Whether this initiative can deliver on its ambitious goals will depend heavily on implementation, investment, and the capacity of participating states to coalesce around shared strategic vision.