Sweden to sign frigate deal as France reportedly offers cruise missiles

Sweden will sign an agreement to buy four frigates during French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Stockholm on Monday, while unconfirmed reports say France also wants to offer cruise missiles for the vessels, SVT reports.

Macron is meeting Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. The frigate agreement will be signed aboard an FDI frigate, the same type covered by the deal, which is currently in Stockholm.

SVT political reporter Andreas Öbrink described the FDI as a relatively new, large frigate with substantial armament and strong air-defence capabilities.

Macron and Kristersson will also sign a defence cooperation agreement. Cooperation on a successor to the JAS Gripen fighter has been discussed.

According to unconfirmed information, France wants to offer Sweden cruise missiles with a range of 1,000 kilometres for the frigates.

“That would give the Swedish Armed Forces a completely different capability from what exists today,” Öbrink said.