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Sweden boosts air defence capabilities with Patriot system

By Defence Industry Europe

In the mid-December, Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (Försvarets materielverk, FMV) handed over a fourth (and last) fire unit of MIM-104 Patriot (PDB-8) PAC-3 MSE air and missile defence system (in Swedish Armed Forces called “Luftvärnssystem 103” or “LvS103”) to the Swedish Army. Furthermore, the recent days, Sweden submitted an order for an additional set of Patriot system interceptors.

With the delivery of a final fire unit of the Patriot air defence system, Swedish Army should soon be ready to announce its operational readiness. It will protect Sweden against ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, aircraft, helicopters, and other airborne threats.

Christer Mellgren, Patriot programme manager in FMV said that deliveries of Patriot systems were completed faster than initially planned (handed over of a final fire unit was planned for 2023 year).

Each Swedish-configured Patriot fire unit includes one AN/MPQ-65 fire control radar, one AN/MSQ-132 Engagement Control Station, and three M903 launchers.

Under the contract signed in August 2018, Sweden ordered ordered also four Diesel-Electric Power Plants EPP-III and nine Antenna Mast Group systems.

Furthermore, in 2019 Sweden ordered 40 high-mobility trucks from HX series from German company Rheinmetall Military Vehicles (RMMV) for transporting Patriot air defence system: 16 tractor-trucks and 24 transport vehicles.

Sweden has selected two types of interceptors for its Patriot air and missile defence system. In 2018, the U.S. government approved possible sale to Sweden of up to 100 PAC-2 GEM-T interceptors and up to 200 PAC-3 MSE interceptors, but it is unknown how many Sweden has ordered so far.

In 2018, Sweden signed with U.S. government contract worth over USD 1 billion for Patriot air defence system, but the estimated cost of all elements of possible sale approved by Washington is USD 3.2 billion.

Now Sweden is interested in purchasing another batch of interceptors for Patriot system.

FMV recently submitted the U.S. government with an order for an additional set of Patriot system interceptors, but any specified information about this has not been revealed yet.

 

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