Denmark considers Swedish naval cannons to strengthen Baltic Sea defence cooperation
Denmark is exploring the adoption of Swedish-made Bofors naval cannons to replace its current Italian systems, as part of deepening defence ties with Sweden amid shifting security dynamics, Danish broadcaster DR reports.
The move follows years of growing collaboration between the Danish and Swedish navies, driven by regional security concerns and uncertainty over US commitments to NATO under former President Donald Trump. Military sources tell DR that the two nations now coordinate sensitive defence planning to bolster joint preparedness.
“We meet Danish patrol vessels and frigates daily when monitoring waters outside the archipelago,” said Jonas Löfgren, commanding officer of the Swedish corvette Sundsvall, during a live-fire exercise in March. His ship’s 57mm Bofors cannon—known informally as the “IKEA cannon”—has become a symbol of the practical integration underway.
Denmark’s defence forces are reportedly prepared to phase out their long-standing Italian-made cannons in favour of the Swedish model, which would simplify logistics for ammunition and spare parts in a crisis. “It makes sense in peacetime, but especially in wartime when maintenance demands surge,” said Mikkel Vedby Rasmussen, a political science professor at the University of Copenhagen.
The shift reflects broader Nordic defence realignment. Rasmussen noted that no European country can assume US military support in a potential Russian attack—particularly in the Baltic Sea, seen as a likely flashpoint. “The pressure on Nordic leaders is immense: if conflict comes in four or five years, will you be ready?” he said.
Operational coordination is already routine. Swedish and Danish vessels jointly escort foreign ships through the Danish straits, sharing real-time intelligence. “We take over escort duties from Denmark, and vice versa,” Löfgren said, calling the cooperation “seamless, with room for improvement.” His corvette, designed for archipelago warfare, now patrols as far as Gotland, Bornholm, and the Danish belts.
Aboard the Sundsvall, Lieutenant Hannah (surname withheld for security) specialises in anti-submarine warfare and confirmed the “frictionless” data-sharing with Danish counterparts. “If a Russian unit transits the belts, we receive targeting data from Denmark, build a shared picture, and act accordingly,” she said.
The cannon proposal marks the latest step in a defence partnership once overshadowed by transatlantic ties—but now prioritised as a regional bulwark.