Sweden to send Gripen jets, warship to Finland amid drone threat

Sweden’s military will deploy Gripen fighter jets and a corvette warship to Finland to strengthen surveillance and protection of Finnish territory, with the deployment expected to continue at least through the end of 2026, Finland’s Defence Forces said.

“The Swedish equipment strengthens air surveillance in particular, releasing the Finnish Defence Forces' own resources for repelling violations and incidents, if need be,” Finland’s military said in a statement, Reuters reports.

The deployment is part of deepening defencce cooperation between the neighboring countries, which are also NATO’s two newest members. Finland shares a 1,340-kilometre (833-mile) border with Russia.

“Sweden has responded to a request from Finland to strengthen its air defence due to the deteriorating security situation,” Swedish Defence Minister Pal Jonson said, adding that Swedish forces could, if necessary, assist Finland in responding to violations of its territory.

Beyond fighter jets and naval vessels equipped with counter-drone capabilities, Sweden could also provide ground-based anti-drone systems, Jonson said.

The move comes as military drones entering the airspace of Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have raised concerns that the war in Ukraine could spill over into NATO’s northern frontier with Russia. As Ukraine intensifies attacks on Russian oil shipping facilities in the Baltic Sea, some drones have reportedly missed their intended targets, prompting security alerts in neighboring countries.

The Swedish Gripen fighter jets will contribute to Finnish airspace patrols, while the corvette will operate in the Baltic Sea, according to the Finnish military.

Separately, Swedish defence company Saab, which manufactures the Gripen, said that it had secured a 1.2 billion-krona ($126 million) order from Finland for its RBS 70 NG portable air-defence missile system.

By Vafa Guliyeva