Sweden to buy 4 French frigates in major defense deal

Sweden will purchase four new frigates from French defense company Naval Group in one of the country’s largest military investments in decades, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson announced Tuesday.

The vessels are the ships that "best meet the Swedish requirements,” Kristersson told a news conference, according to Swedish broadcaster SVT.

Those new FDI-type frigates will significantly expand Sweden’s naval and air defense capabilities, including protection against fighter jets and ballistic missiles.

It is "one of the biggest defense investments" since the Gripen -- a light single-engine supersonic multirole fighter aircraft -- was introduced in the 1980s, Kristersson said, adding that the purchase would triple Sweden’s anti-aircraft capability compared to current levels.

“With this decision, I am convinced that Sweden is now contributing to making the Baltic Sea significantly safer in the future,” he added.

Commander-in-Chief Michael Claesson said the vessels would also allow Sweden to participate more effectively in future NATO operations beyond the Baltic region.

Defense Minister Pal Jonson said rapid delivery was a key factor in choosing France, noting that Naval Group already has a ready-made ship design.

Negotiations between Swedish and French authorities are expected to begin soon. Deliveries are scheduled to start in 2030 at a pace of one frigate per year, SVT reported.

The estimated cost is around 10 billion Swedish kronor (more than $1 billion) per ship.