Russia’s increasingly aggressive behavior over the past decade has highlighted the growing need for Sweden to ramp up its defensive capabilities
The new Patriot system replaces one of Sweden’s aging air defense systems, the US-made MIM-23 Hawk surface-to-air missile system. The Patriot also serves as a deterrent against Russian short-range, nuclear-capable Iskander ballistic missiles deployed in Kaliningrad, which present a threat to key Swedish areas, including Gotland and Stockholm.
In addition to the acquisition of the Patriot, in November 2021, some reports announced that the Swedish Armed Forces had reactivated Launch Unit 23, a medium-range air defense system that had been in material reserve for several years. This system, which includes surface-to-air missiles, a mounted gun system, as well as command radar and infrared cameras, can operate independently if need be but can also be connected to a central radar system.
At sea, meanwhile, in 2016, the Swedish Navy reintroduced the anti-ship air defense RBS-15 Mk3 missile system by using parts from a previously scrapped battery and discontinued vessels . Such steps enable the Swedish Armed Forces to stay in sync with Stockholm’s policy of “total defense,” in which Sweden’s top brass plan to optimally use defense and security resources without disturbing the state’s economic growth and prosperity .