Sweden to spend nearly half a billion dollars on long-range and other drones
Photo: Pål Jonson, Sweden’s Defense Minister (Getty Images)
Sweden will allocate 4 billion kronor ($437 million) to unmanned systems. The drones are set to be delivered over the next two years, states Sweden’s Defense Minister, Pål Jonson, Reuters reports.
Jonson said that with these funds, his country will purchase unmanned systems, including long‑range strike drones, electronic warfare equipment, and reconnaissance UAVs, as well as maritime drones for surveillance and mine clearance.
"No one knows what the next war will look like but one thing is clear, the future battle field will be characterised by unmanned systems and long‑range capabilities," the minister stressed.
According to him, those who fail to understand this trend "will either die or be defeated."
"War is, as we know, a cruel teacher," he added.
The minister also noted that the government is investing 1.3 billion kronor (about $140 million) in new military satellites.
The Swedish government is also borrowing 300 billion kronor to accelerate the procurement of new weapons, including air defense systems, submarines, and surface vessels.
Drones have become extremely widespread in modern warfare, largely due to Russia’s full‑scale invasion of Ukraine.
Drone incidents in Sweden
Just a few months ago, Sweden experienced several provocations involving unidentified drones.
In particular, on September 27 last year, drones were spotted over the Karlskrona archipelago in Sweden, where the country’s main naval base is located.
A little over a week later, operations at a Swedish airport were temporarily halted after an unidentified drone was seen nearby.
