STOCKHOLM, April 2 (Reuters) - Sweden will buy air defence and anti-drone systems worth 8.7 billion Swedish crowns ($916 million) from among others Saab and BAE Systems, the country's defence minister
Sweden to buy air defence systems for 8.7 billion crowns, defence minister says
Sweden's Defence Spending and Air Defence Acquisition
By Johan Ahlander
Overview of the Defence Purchase
STOCKHOLM, April 2 (Reuters) - Sweden will buy air defence and anti-drone systems worth 8.7 billion Swedish crowns ($916 million) from among others Saab and BAE Systems, the country's defence minister said on Thursday.
Context: Military Spending in Sweden
Sweden, like most European countries, is racing to bolster its defences following Russia's invasion of Ukraine with military spending projected to hit 2.8% of GDP in 2026, rising to 3.5% in 2030.
Details of the Air Defence Systems
Defence Minister's Statement
Defence Minister Pal Jonson said the added capability would help broaden Sweden's air defences, which are at present chiefly focused on protecting military units.
Protection of Critical Infrastructure
"With this, we will be able to better protect population centres, critical infrastructure, such as ports, railway hubs, nuclear power plants or airports," he said.
Components of the Defence Package
The package will include an anti-drone system called Gute II, which is a radar-and-cannon system that can be mounted on the ground or on vehicles.
Battlefield Effectiveness
Jonson added that the systems had been tested on the battlefield in Ukraine and had proved very effective against drones like the Shahed model used by Russia and Iran.
Involvement of Defence Companies
Saab said in a separate statement that their part of the package amounted to 2.6 billion crowns and was for its anti-drone platform designed to detect and neutralise low-flying small- to medium-sized drones.
Additional Equipment and Delivery Timeline
The total package will also be used for ammunition and vehicles, including infantry mobility vehicles from Finish defence firm Sisu, Jonson said.
Deliveries will take place in 2027 and 2028.
Additional Information
($1 = 9.4946 Swedish crowns)
(Reporting by Johan Ahlander; Editing by Niklas Pollard and Thomas Derpinghaus)
