Saab and VIKI Boost Joint Defense Innovation

Cooperation in the field of defense innovation between Sweden and Hungary is intensifying. On June 18, 2025, representatives of the Swedish defense company Saab visited VIKI, Defense Innovation Research Institute of Hungary, in Budapest, to discuss the deepening of bilateral cooperation.

Cooperation between Saab and VIKI has been established by a strategic framework agreement signed by the defense ministers of both countries in October 2024.

During the visit, concrete steps for future cooperation were agreed upon and signed, as revealed by VIKI on its social media page.

Joint projects will be launched on experimental training solutions in synthetic environments. This indicates a focus on modern simulation and training methods that enable realistic preparation for complex scenarios.
Research initiatives in the field of extended reality (XR) will be supported. Research into XR technologies (including virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality) holds great potential for the design of future training and deployment systems.
The two partners will also launch a collaborative dialogue on the future of avionics, culminating in a major conference later this year.

The VIKI – Saab partnership remains a cornerstone of Swedish – Hungarian defense innovation cooperation, and a foundation for future collaboration in aircraft software development and advanced training systems,”

concluded the Hungarian research institute.

The Hungarian Minister of Defense welcomed the joint effort with the following message on his social media page: „Defense and security form a cornerstone of Swedish–Hungarian relations. Our cooperation with SAAB is a prime example—Gripens have protected our skies for over 20 years, and soon, new aircraft will join them to further strengthen our capabilities.”

Defence and security form a cornerstone of Swedish–Hungarian relations. Our cooperation with @SAAB is a prime example—#Gripens have protected our skies for over 20 years, and soon, new aircraft will join them to further strengthen our capabilities. pic.twitter.com/VuJGBMdNV5

— Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky (@SzBobrovniczky) June 18, 2025