Why NATO will love Sweden’s high-tech submarines and fighter jets
Sweden is close to a verdict on applying for membership in NATO, but the final decision has not been made. More clarity on the issue will come on May 15 when one security policy report which contains recommendations for joining the alliance will be released. Sweden is not known as a “joiner”, having been militarily non-aligned and neutral for many decades. But it has a commendable military industrial base that has produced weapon systems such as fighter jets that are popular in the export market.
The strength of Swedish defense technology
Sweden has interest from the United States in its defense technology portfolio and the Americans have financed many joint technology projects over the years. The Pentagon’s foreign competition test The program visited Sweden to get an overview of the latest Swedish defense programs that may receive a boost from the US Department of Defense. Americans are very interested in having a good relationship with Saab ABfor example.
The United States has funded over 80 FCT projects over the years. Of the projects, 30 have led to military sales to the Pentagon.
Bryant Streett, Chief Technology Officer for Research and Engineering at the Pentagon, told Fedscoop that “Sweden has done very well over the years because they have really good defense technologies that have been better in many cases than what we have here.”
Sweden is quite capable of bringing its skills in developing defense technology and home-made military platforms to NATO.
Not a big military
The Swedish military is small – very close to Finland’s size. There are 16,000 active officials in Sweden, in addition to 22,000 paramilitary Home Guard troops. According to GlobalFirePower.com, the Swedes have only 121 tanks and 48 self-propelled howitzers in the army. The fleet has only seven corvettes, five submarines, 161 patrol vessels and nine minesweepers. The Air Force has a total of 204 aircraft with 71 fighter jets, six transport aircraft, a tanker and 53 helicopters.
Warplanes and submarines are a force
The Swedes are known for their JAS 39 Gripen fighter aircraft that can skillfully intercept enemy aircraft and attack ground targets. Their Gotland-class diesel-electric submarines are small but superbly quiet and attractive.
Stubbornly low defense spending
However, Sweden spends only 1.2 percent of its gross domestic product on defense. From 2010 to 2020, defense spending has consistently been around one percent to 1.2 percent of GDP.
The political view of defense spending has changed since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Sweden’s Ambassador to the United States, Karin Olofsdotter, told Insider on May 11 that the military will be a higher priority. “We had a plan to increase our defense spending by 85 percent from 2014 to 2025, and now we have just made a decision to increase annual defense spending to two percent of GDP,” Olofsdotter said.
More investment in defense is possible
Two percent of GDP spending would bring Sweden in line with NATO’s defense spending targets. But the Scandinavian country did not reach that two percent goal until 2028.
Major defense purchases are often from the United States and the Swedish government has recently purchased Patriot Surface-to-Air-Missile systems from the Americans. Sweden also prefers to specialize its military in areas in which it excels as cyber defense and psychological warfare.
More people to join NATO
Swedish public opinion on military issues has changed since the war in Ukraine. A large majority – 57 percent – now support NATO membership, according to survey data from Demoskop and Aftonbladet newspaper. There is a record number of people to join the alliance. Even more Swedes would approve if Finland joined, which looks increasingly likely.
Dangerous military deployments could be wrinkled
However, it is likely that Swedes would not favor a military deployment that endangered Swedish troops, despite the growing majority supporting NATO membership. The Swedes have been neutral for so long that an aggressive defensive stance runs counter to their political culture. There will probably be a lively debate in Sweden’s Riksdag about the possibility of joining NATO.
Play to its strengths
The Swedish defense could specialize in certain forces such as offering pilots and fighter jets to the alliance. The country’s land forces are on the weak side and would need more investment. The army needs more tanks and artillery. And the number of warships is low. The Swedish navy could use at least two fighters with guided missiles or invest in land-launched anti-ship missiles that the Ukrainians have used against the Russian navy on the Black Sea.
Sweden has defense technology that allows them to be a decent NATO partner. They need more troops in the army. They need strong political leadership to change the tradition of being militarily neutral. But the access to mutual defense granted by joining NATO would be invaluable and give the Swedes peace of mind as Russia continues to save Ukraine. NATO can become a reality.
Now serving as the 1945 editor of Defense and National Security, Brent M. EastwoodPhD, is the author of People, machines and data: future trends in warfare. He is an Emerging Threats Expert and former US Army Infantry Officer. You can follow him on Twitter @BMEastwood.