Bittium Corporation
Press Release
Bittium Contributes Cyber Security Expertise to NATO CCDCOE's Locked Shields 2026 Cyber Defence Exercise
Bittium Corporation press release on May 20, 2026, at 3.00 pm (CEST +1)
Bittium participated in Locked Shields 2026, the world's largest and most complex live-fire cyber defence exercise, organised by the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE). The exercise brought together over 4,000 participants from 41 nations to strengthen the defence of critical infrastructure and military systems against real-time cyber threats.
Locked Shields 2026 challenged multinational teams to defend complex and realistic IT environments supporting essential societal and military functions, including critical infrastructure, air defence systems and electronic voting platforms. The exercise placed strong emphasis on crisis management, legal considerations and strategic decision-making alongside technical cyber defence.
Bittium contributed to the exercise with its cyber security expertise and has been an industry partner for the event since 2018.
"International exercises like Locked Shields are essential for strengthening cyber resilience. Our participation reflects Bittium's long-term engagement in international cyber defence initiatives and our commitment to cooperation with Allied partners in securing critical digital infrastructure," said Tommi Kangas, Senior Vice President of Bittium's Defence & Security business segment.
"At Locked Shields, the teams must put their skills to the test, protecting the IT systems that keep our everyday life running-including critical infrastructure, air defence and e-voting. The teams demonstrated strong capabilities in detecting and responding to malicious cyber activities. The key now is to take the lessons identified from the exercise and translate them into real-world readiness, particularly as AI capabilities continue to transform both the defence and attack sides of the cyber domain," said Tõnis Saar, Director of the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence.
The 2026 edition of Locked Shields was executed by 16 multinational teams, reinforcing cross-border cooperation and interoperability between Allied and partner nations.
"Our ultimate goal at Locked Shields is to enhance collaboration between nations and build trust and a shared understanding of how to strengthen resilience in cyberspace," said Dan Ungureanu, Exercise Director of Locked Shields 2026. "I thank all participants, organisers, and partners - nearly 5,000 people worldwide - for contributing to this shared goal."
Locked Shields has been organised annually by the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE) since 2010 in partnership with numerous industry and academic partners.
More information about Locked Shields: https://ccdcoe.org/exercises/locked-shields/
Further information:
Tommi Kangas
Senior Vice President, Bittium Defence & Security
Tel. +358 40 344 2789 (group communications)
Email: defence(a)bittium.com
Distribution:
Main media
About Bittium Defence & Security
As a trusted supplier in the Defence & Security market with 40 years of experience in advanced radio communication technologies, we provide next-generation resilient and mobile tactical communications systems for defence forces and secure communication solutions for governments and authorities. Our products and systems for tactical communications bring broadband data and voice seamlessly to all troops across multi-domain operations. The offering is completed by mobile devices and cyber security solutions certified up to CONFIDENTIAL and NATO RESTRICTED levels.
In addition to the products and systems supplied to the Defence & Security market, Bittium offers solutions focused on measuring and processing of biosignals as well as R&D services and wireless embedded solutions. Bittium's net sales in 2025 were EUR 119.3 million and operating profit EUR 19.4 million. Bittium is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki.
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