Sweden to spend $350 million on air-defence systems

Sweden’s Defence Minister Pål Jonson has announced a further investment of 3.5 billion Swedish kronor, equivalent to around $350 million, to strengthen the country’s air-defence capabilities.

During a visit to the air-defence regiment LV 6, Jonson said the new package includes vehicles worth 1.5 billion kronor (about $150 million), additional Iris-T air-defence systems, 16 launch platforms, eight modern radar units, and new command-and-control sites, Caliber.Az reports, citing Swedish media.

The Iris-T system is designed to intercept fighter aircraft, cruise missiles, and various types of drones.

“The radar can detect drones no larger than a milk carton from more than four kilometres away,” Jonson said.

The air-defence components are produced by Saab Surveillance in Halmstad and Gothenburg.

Jonson said expanding Sweden’s air-defence capability was essential, both because it plays a key role in modern warfare and due to expectations that the threat from Russia to countries in the region will increase in the coming years.

By Aghakazim Guliyev