Trend Reversal as Sweden Acquires Large Warships
For the first time in half a century, Sweden is investing in large modern warships.
The new frigates cost billions and can hunt submarines, act as floating air defence and secure the vital sea route to Sweden.
Sweden is expected to acquire large warships, frigates, with delivery from 2030. The picture shows the ship Amiral Ronarc’h, of the same model that France wants to sell to Sweden.
During the first half of next year, the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) hopes to sign a contract with a supplier for four frigates. This represents a paradigm shift for the Swedish Navy, according to Linus Fast, a researcher at the Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI).
‘We are moving away from a previously light fleet whose sole purpose was to stop a so-called invasion cake that was expected to come towards Swedish waters,’ he says.
Never had
Internationally, frigates are used to protect aircraft carriers and maritime transport against threats from the air, on the surface or below the surface. Sweden has not had such large combat vessels since the last destroyers were decommissioned in the 1980s.
Sweden’s largest warships are currently the Visby corvettes, which are 72 metres long. By comparison, frigates are 120 metres long and can stay further out at sea. The ships can be deployed in a NATO operation far beyond Sweden’s immediate vicinity, if necessary.
‘This type of vessel is primarily used for defence on open seas such as the Atlantic and Pacific,’ says Fast.
The main difference from corvettes is that frigates can be used as floating air defence systems, using their own anti-aircraft missiles to protect an area – not just their own ship – from missiles, aircraft and drones.
‘It’s a way of creating what is known as area air defence, where, to put it simply, you deploy a protective umbrella over the ships you want to protect.‘
Regardless of which frigates are procured, they will be the Swedish Navy’s largest vessels.
New threats
In addition, they may be better at anti-submarine warfare, not least because frigates can carry a helicopter on board.
Instead of defending Sweden from invasion, the navy’s main task will be to keep the sea routes to Sweden and across the Baltic Sea open, so that reinforcements can be brought in and the wounded and refugees can be taken out.
Since frigates are large and expensive, they are also important targets for an adversary. At the same time, modern frigates must be able to stop, for example, the type of anti-ship missiles that sank the Russian flagship Moskva in the Black Sea.
‘Changing threats involving drones pose a challenge, but there are technical solutions to deal with them too, says Fast.‘
