Sweden has selected France’s Naval Group to supply four advanced FDI frigates in a deal potentially worth more than 40 billion Swedish kronor (approximately $4.2 billion), marking one of the country’s largest military investments in decades.
The agreement, announced May 19 in Stockholm, represents Sweden’s biggest defense acquisition since the Gripen fighter jet program in the 1980s and underscores the Nordic nation’s accelerating military buildup following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Sweden’s accession to NATO.
The French proposal defeated competing bids from Spain’s Navantia and a joint British-Swedish offer from Babcock International and Saab.
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said the acquisition would significantly strengthen Sweden’s maritime and air defense capabilities at a time of growing regional tensions in the Baltic Sea.
“The Baltic Sea has never in the modern era been as exposed, questioned and contested as it is now,” Kristersson told a press conference aboard the Swedish naval corvette HMS Härnösand in central Stockholm.
“With this decision I am convinced Sweden is contributing to making the Baltic Sea considerably safer in the future.”
Major Boost to Air Defense Capabilities
Swedish officials said the new frigates will triple the country’s air defense capabilities and enable the navy to operate across NATO’s full operational area.
The vessels, which will form Sweden’s new Luleå-class frigates, will be equipped with MBDA’s Aster 30 long-range air defense missiles and the CAMM-ER medium-range air defense system.
Defense Minister Pål Jonson emphasized the urgency of the acquisition amid growing security threats in Europe. “Rapid delivery is absolutely essential given the very serious security situation we are currently in,” Jonson said.
“We have seen that Russia has increased its production of ballistic missiles over the past year. Our capability in this area [air defence] will triple with this acquisition.”
Jonson added that the Aster 30 system is capable of intercepting ballistic missiles and is comparable to the land-based Patriot air defense system.
The Swedish government said the French-designed frigates were selected because of their delivery timeline, production reliability, and integrated combat-proven air defense systems.
“The ships that best meet the Swedish requirements are therefore the French alternative. … This is the decision that the government has now taken this morning,” Kristersson said.
First Frigate Expected by 2030
The first frigate is expected to be delivered in 2030, with one vessel arriving annually thereafter.
Each ship is projected to cost slightly more than 10 billion Swedish kronor, although officials stressed that the final price will depend on integrated systems and weapons configurations.
“The final price will depend on the subsystems and armament,” Jonson said, describing the procurement as a “very large deal” that could strengthen bilateral defense cooperation between Sweden and France.
Gen. Michael Claesson, Sweden’s Chief of Defence, said the acquisition would expand Sweden’s operational flexibility within NATO.
“The frigates mean that we get a significantly greater freedom of action to be able to participate in a much larger range of the tasks that NATO sets,” Claesson said.
He also noted that the vessels’ integrated command-and-control systems would be compatible with NATO networks.
Baltic Security at the Center of Sweden’s Strategy
Swedish naval officials stressed that the new frigates are central to maintaining security and freedom of movement in the Baltic Sea during a potential regional conflict.
Johan Norlen, Chief of the Swedish Navy, said the ships would help secure key transport routes linking Sweden with Finland and the Baltic states.
“With our corvettes and frigates we are building naval operational control in the Baltic Sea together with our NATO allies,” he said.
The new warships will significantly exceed the capabilities of Sweden’s existing Visby-class corvettes. The current corvettes measure 73 meters in length and displace around 650 tons, while the French FDI frigates are 122 meters long and displace roughly 4,500 tons.
The FDI design, known in French as the Frégate de Défense et d’Intervention, features Thales Sea Fire radar systems with four fixed panels and a fully digital combat architecture capable of processing large volumes of sensor data.
Swedish Systems to Be Integrated
Stockholm said negotiations with Naval Group will include requirements for the integration of Swedish-made systems and weaponry.
The frigates are expected to carry Saab’s RBS-15 anti-ship missiles, Torped 47 lightweight torpedoes, Giraffe G1X compact radar systems, and Trackfire remote weapon stations, along with BAE Systems Bofors 57 mm and 40 mm naval guns.
Jonson said delivery speed had been prioritized over industrial offset arrangements in the selection process.
Meanwhile, Kristersson rejected suggestions that the frigate deal was linked to ongoing discussions about European nuclear deterrence cooperation with France.
The Swedish prime minister revealed that he had personally informed French President Emmanuel Macron of Stockholm’s decision before the public announcement.
Macron later said on X that Sweden’s decision reflected the countries’ “mutual trust,” highlighting recent defense cooperation between Paris and Stockholm, including France’s purchase of Saab GlobalEye airborne early warning and control aircraft.
Naval Group Secures Strategic European Win
For France’s Naval Group, the Swedish decision marks a significant victory in Europe’s increasingly competitive naval defense market.
The company had previously lost a major Norwegian frigate competition to the United Kingdom’s Type 26 design manufactured by BAE Systems.
France has already ordered five FDI frigates for its own navy, while Greece has ordered four vessels of the same class.
Naval Group spokesperson Bénédicte Mano welcomed Sweden’s selection.
“We are extremely honoured by the choice of the Swedish Ministry of Defence to provide the Royal Swedish Navy with 4 FDI, a latest-generation frigate, thereby strengthening our strategic partnership with Sweden and demonstrating the strength of industrial cooperation in Europe,” Mano said in a statement.