Swedish government has announced large-scale investments in air defence
The Swedish government has decided to significantly strengthen its air defense system to protect the civilian population and critical infrastructure of the country.
According to Censor.NET, this is reported in an article by the Reuters agency.
Stockholm plans to allocate SEK 15 billion, equivalent to approximately USD 1.6 billion, for these purposes. The investments will be part of a broader strategy to strengthen defense capabilities following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Protecting civilian infrastructure becomes a priority
The Swedish Ministry of Defense notes that previously, the main focus was on protecting military facilities. At the same time, a significant part of the country's territory remained vulnerable to air threats.
"The experience of war in Ukraine clearly shows how important reliable and robust air defense is," said Swedish Defense Minister Paul Jonsson during a security conference in the north of the country.
According to him, new solutions must take into account modern threats, in particular the use of drones and low-altitude weapons.
New air defense systems: mobility and specific protection zones
Sweden plans to purchase short-range air defense systems. They will be used to protect ports, bridges, railway junctions, nuclear power plants, and large cities.
These systems are expected to be capable of countering attacks by drones, helicopters, and low-flying fighter jets. At the same time, they will be mobile but assigned to specific geographical areas.
The Swedish government plans to sign the first contracts for the purchase of new air defense systems in the first quarter of 2026.
- We previously reported that France is introducing a new voluntary form of military service due to the threat of war with Russia, and Brussels is retraining 600,000 workers for defense jobs.
