Efforts to strengthen Sweden’s security

Today, on Thursday 28 May, Ukraine announced its intention to purchase 20 Gripen E/F aircraft as a first step following the Letter of Intent signed by Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on 22 October 2025. In conjunction with the sale, Sweden will donate up to 16 JAS 39 Gripen C/D aircraft from the Swedish Armed Forces’ current fleet, together with advanced ammunition. To replace these donated aircraft, new modern Gripen E/F aircraft will be procured for the Swedish Air Force, in addition to those previously ordered.

Sweden has signed a memorandum of understanding on protecting the civilian population of the Baltic Sea region and the Nordic countries, together with Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Poland. This enables the temporary movement of people across borders in the event of crisis or, in the worst-case scenario, war.

The Government has decided to invest more than SEK 4 billion in the acquisition of various types of unmanned systems for the Swedish Armed Forces. The Government is also committing SEK 1.3 billion to expanding space capabilities. The investment in unmanned systems includes loitering munitions, reconnaissance drones, unmanned airborne electronic warfare capabilities and unmanned vehicles for different marine applications, which will strengthen the combat unit’s war fighting capabilities. The space investment consists of the acquisition of a number of reconnaissance and surveillance satellites.

Speech by Minister for Defence Pål Jonson, delivered at the Folk och Försvar Annual National Conference in Sälen on 12 January 2026. Check against delivery.

Speech by Minister for Civil Defence Carl-Oskar Bohlin, delivered at the Folk och Försvar Annual National Conference in Sälen on 11 January 2026. Check against delivery.

The Government has decided that the Swedish Armed Forces will expand its air defence capability. The Swedish Armed Forces will produce, train and equip a number of units within a future ground-based air defence that will protect combat units, military defence mobilisation capacity, population centres and civilian infrastructure. The total investment is worth approximately SEK 15 billion.

The EU has decided to impose sanctions on an additional 41 vessels that are part of Russia’s shadow fleet. With this decision, a total of 598 vessels are now subject to EU sanctions against the shadow fleet.

Minister for Defence Pål Jonson, Washington DC, on 4 December 2025.

The Government is tasking the Defence Materiel Administration to enhance protection of critical and emerging technologies from a national security perspective. This assignment aims to reinforce Sweden’s economic security in line with the National Security Strategy.

Minister for Defence Pål Jonson and Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz today signed a memorandum of understanding that solidifies the Polish-Swedish cooperation on submarines and lays the foundations for continued negotiations.

This week, the Government has conducted an exercise based on a security scenario involving war and the risk of war. Certain phases of the exercise were carried out together with His Majesty The King, Her Royal Highness The Crown Princess, members of the Riksdag, the Swedish Armed Forces, the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency and other relevant government agencies. This is the first time since the 1990s that an exercise of this magnitude has taken place with all the aforementioned actors.

On 26 November, Poland announced that it has chosen Sweden to partner in its submarine programme. Poland is purchasing three submarines in one of Sweden’s largest-ever naval export deals.

Together with representatives of the Swedish Armed Forces and the Defence Materiel Administration, Minister for Defence Pål Jonson has presented investments of SEK 3.5 billion in the area of air defence.

Sweden is contributing around SEK 600 million to the US-initiated Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL). Together with other Nordic and Baltic countries, Sweden is helping to fund an overall package worth a total of USD 500 million. The funds are part of support packages for Ukraine that were previously communicated.

On 12–13 November, Minister for Defence Pål Jonson will take part in NORDEFCO and NB8 meetings in Helsinki. The agendas for the two meetings include regional security, Ukraine and cooperation within NATO.

Letter of Intent between Sweden and Ukraine concerning Defence Innovation Partnership. Signed by Minister for Defence Pål Jonson and Ukraine’s Minister for Defence Denys Shmyhal in Stockholm on 6 November 2025.

Italy has announced its participation in NATO’s Forward Land Forces (FLF) in Finland, led by Sweden.

The Government is investing more than SEK 5 billion to strengthen the Swedish Armed Forces’ anti-drone capabilities and expand JAS 39 Gripen capabilities. The investment in anti-drone capabilities will enable the Swedish Armed Forces to shorten its lead times by eight years. The previous 2036 deadline for final delivery will now be brought forward to 2028. This decision will also enhance the resilience of the combat air system in times of peace, crisis and war. It marks the first use of the funds allocated in the Spring Amending Budget for ‘opportune purchases’.

(New version) Security in Sweden’s neighbourhood has deteriorated dramatically in recent years. The Government is therefore carrying out the most sweeping modernisation of Sweden’s total defence since the end of the Cold War. In the Budget Bill for 2026, the Tidö Parties propose a new package for stronger civil defence. Funding will go towards better stockpiling of health care products, renovating Sweden’s protective shelters, building up new food contingency reserves and improving preparedness efforts of Sweden’s municipalities and regions. The Government proposes allocating SEK 3 billion to civil defence in 2026, SEK 4.2 billion in 2027 and SEK 4.6 billion in 2028. These proposals total approximately SEK 12 billion in 2026–2028.

On Tuesday 30 September, Minister for Defence Pål Jonson will take part in the 2025 Hanating security and defence policy forum and visit the Björneborg brigade in Finland.