Overview
- Stockholm will spend roughly $1.6 billion to acquire short-range systems to shield cities, bridges, power plants and other civilian sites.
- Defense Minister Pal Jonson cited Ukraine’s battlefield experience as evidence of the need for robust, resilient air defense.
- The first procurement order is expected in the first quarter of 2026, with systems described as mobile and assigned to specific geographic areas.
- The short-range units are intended to defeat drones, helicopters and low-flying aircraft, strengthening Sweden’s ground-based defenses.
- The plan extends a layered architecture that includes IRIS-T SLS/SLM under ESSI and Saab work such as RBS 70 NG with Giraffe 1X and 2.1 billion SEK in 2025 sensor and command-and-control contracts.