Swedish military leaders said in a new report that Stockholm expects Russia’s threat to the alliance to increase and outlined steps to help meet NATO defense goals, including the acquisition of long-range missiles.
Armed Forces Chief of Staff Carl-Johan Edström said Sweden believes Russia could significantly rearm its forces within the next two to five years, a key reason for the proposed missile purchase.
The plan concerns ballistic missiles with ranges of up to 2,000 km. Edström said such weapons could be used if NATO’s Article 5 collective defense clause were triggered, to help deter further attacks by striking targets including command systems, sensors and critical infrastructure.
Sweden also plans to strengthen its navy by buying new mine countermeasure vessels. The report notes that existing ships of this type are aging and nearing the end of their service life, requiring replacement to maintain capability.
Edström said these needs must be reflected in Sweden’s planning to ensure replacement vessels are procured in time.
As part of its broader defense investments, Sweden intends to allocate 1.5% of gross domestic product to spending on supplies, energy, transport infrastructure, healthcare and electronic communications.
Edström said the goal is to build “total defense capability” that supports Sweden’s military objectives.
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Source: Polskie Radio 24, SVT