Sweden is arming itself even before joining NATO. The right-wing conservative government is insisting on new submarines, jets and better trained soldiers.
Stockholm – Sweden is arming itself: The designated NATO member wants to increase its military budget for 2024 by almost 30 percent. This emerges from a statement from the Swedish Ministry of Defense. The government of Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson wants to achieve NATO’s two percent target as early as next year. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is currently blocking Sweden from joining the alliance.
Defense Minister Jonson: “The most difficult situation since the Second World War”
With the planned military budget of the equivalent of 9.3 billion euros, the government in Stockholm would like to purchase a lot: jets from the manufacturer Saab of the “Gripen” type are to be “developed and produced”. The money would also flow into two new “Blekinge” class submarines. Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson said: “We are in the most difficult security situation since the Second World War.”
The increase appears to be a consensus between the minority government and right-wing populist Sweden Democrats, at least that’s what Jonson’s ministry wrote. His liberal conservatives are likely to rely on votes from the far right to implement the plan.
NATO would benefit from Swedish submarines
In addition to military hardware, money should flow into the training of officers in particular and the maintenance of existing equipment. Sweden currently has around 24,000 active soldiers. According to the Ministry of Defense, NATO membership would give the armed forces some additional tasks: especially the NATO battle groups in the Baltics or joint airspace surveillance.
The main asset for NATO is the submarine fleet, “which can operate in the treacherous shallow waters of the Baltics,” according to military analyst Albin Aronsson from the Swedish Military Research Agency. The Swedish Navy is currently practicing together with NATO in the “Northern Coasts” exercise. On Tuesday, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) and his Norwegian counterpart also presented new submarines. (Kilian Beck)
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