Events in Crimea and Ukraine have increased concerns in Sweden about the possibility of an increased conventional military threat from Russia.
DefenseNews.com March 16, 2014 reports: http://www.defensenews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2014303160008:
Sweden’s government is
examining a proposal to boost military spending to defend its own territories
and the strategic Baltic Sea area in the face of renewed Russian aggression in
Ukraine. There is also a movement among high government officials to re-examine
the long-running issue of joining NATO. The
Swedish Cabinet will discuss, in coming weeks, a cross-party coalition proposal
to significantly increase capital spending on the Navy’s submarine fleet.
…The Swedish Cabinet
will examine in coming weeks a proposal by Foreign Minister Carl Bildt to
expand the Navy’s submarine modernization program to cover the acquisition of
five rather than two next-generation subs at an additional cost of $1.6
billion.
“We need to strengthen
our military presence on Götland and our overall capability in the Baltic Sea.
Two new subs is not enough. The ambition should be to have the best fighter and
submarine capability for our size of any European nation,” Bildt said in a
statement. “This is vital if Sweden is to create a credible defense.”
The Riksdag in June
2010 approved plans to buy two new submarines. The first of these were to have
been delivered in 2018. However, the project has been delayed by several years,
with the prospect that Saab, and not the Malmö-based, German-owned ThyssenKrupp
Marine Systems (formerly Kockums), will get the contract.
Also see Corporate Battle Between SAAB and TKMS Over Kockums of March 14, 2014 at http://gentleseas.blogspot.com.au/2014/03/corporate-battle-between-saab-and-tkms.html.
Might the Swedish Cabinet be planning to spend more on submarines due to the resurgent Russian threat or is it simply a pretext to revive Sweden's submarine industry?
Might the Swedish Cabinet be planning to spend more on submarines due to the resurgent Russian threat or is it simply a pretext to revive Sweden's submarine industry?