Swedish Armed Forces to receive attack drones next year

The Swedish Armed Forces will receive attack drones for the first time next year, SVT reports. The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration will purchase the drones for 350 million kronor from a Danish supplier.

“It is an entirely new chapter,” said Jonas Lotsne, head of army equipment at the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration.

Sweden has previously used drones for reconnaissance and surveillance. The new system, which the Armed Forces calls a patrol robot system, is intended to destroy hostile targets. The contract was signed on Monday.

The system combines surveillance drones with attack drones. One aircraft identifies the target, while one or more others are used to attack it, Lotsne said.

The system has a range of hundreds of kilometres and is primarily intended for ground forces. Lennart Widerström, head of the Army Combat School, said it would give light units the ability to engage targets at long distances with a highly effective warhead.

Widerström said the Armed Forces was prepared to begin using the drones quickly, describing the capability as a natural part of modern warfare.

The purchase is considered a first step. Widerström said drones would be ordered from several suppliers in the future because the rapid pace of development meant the Armed Forces could not rely on a single system in large quantities.

The war in Ukraine has influenced the decision, he said, adding that armies around the world were drawing lessons from ongoing conflicts.

The package also includes control equipment, simulators for training and exercises, and specially built workshop containers for field maintenance.

Lotsne acknowledged that equipment could become outdated in storage, but said there was also a risk in failing to adopt the capability before it was needed.