Sweden and France Sign Frigate Procurement Contract

Reference News Network reported on September 3 According to Reuters on August 31, Sweden held a contract signing ceremony in Stockholm on August 31, officially ordering four frigates from the French Naval Group. French President Emmanuel Macron and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson attended the ceremony.

The report states that Sweden, as the newest member of NATO, is accelerating the enhancement of its military capabilities. The outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict has prompted Sweden to abandon its long-standing policy of neutrality.

Governments across Europe have generally increased defense spending in response to pressure from U.S. President Trump, as well as deeper concerns about over-reliance on U.S. support.

Macron stated, “France and Sweden, being part of the EU and NATO, demonstrate that European sovereignty is being continuously strengthened.”

He said that at a time when European countries must take on more responsibility for their own security and strengthen NATO's European pillar, Sweden's order “will enhance the industrial and technological foundation of European defense.”

In May of this year, Sweden announced it would order related vessels from the French Naval Group. This agreement, worth 4.3 billion euros, will triple Sweden's air defense capabilities. The first of the four new frigates is expected to be delivered in 2030 and will become the largest vessel in the Swedish Navy.

According to AFP on August 31, French President Macron and Swedish Prime Minister Kristersson also strengthened defense cooperation between the two countries in Stockholm on August 31, thereby reinforcing NATO's “European pillar” to address a “more chaotic world.”

“We are forging a significant, mutually beneficial, respectful, and ambitious strategic cooperation,” Macron said aboard the French frigate “Admiral Ronarc'h” at the port of Stockholm. This contract, valued at 4.3 billion euros, was signed on this ship.

“This highlights the strength and importance of the European defense pillar, and how Franco-Swedish cooperation is becoming an important component of this European pillar,” he added with the Swedish Prime Minister.

Meanwhile, French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu and Swedish Defense Minister Paul Jonsson signed a framework agreement to strengthen defense cooperation in the areas of “operations, capability building, and industry.”

The report states that since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022 and Sweden's accession to NATO in 2024, Sweden has been continuously advancing a large-scale military restructuring plan.

Prior to this, in December last year, France ordered two “Global Eye” airborne early warning aircraft from Sweden's Saab Group, worth over 1 billion euros.

The report states that the two leaders emphasized the need for greater “European sovereignty” in the defense sector.

“Today, everyone knows that in Europe, we must take greater responsibility for our own security,” Kristersson pointed out.

Both France and Sweden have strong military industries. In the face of the overwhelming competitive advantage held by the U.S. within NATO, both countries have also expressed a desire to strengthen the European defense industrial base.

“We need to establish a more resilient, independent, and competitive European defense ecosystem that allows Europe to achieve full sovereignty,” Macron emphasized.

According to the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung on August 31, France and Sweden hope to provide direction for “European sovereignty” in the field of defense cooperation. The Élysée Palace stated that this was the topic of President Macron's visit to Stockholm on the 31st. France is selling four French frigates to Sweden for 4.3 billion euros.

Reports indicate that the procurement of frigates is seen in Sweden as a reflection of the country's security policy, particularly the shift in its maritime strategic role. With its accession to NATO in 2024, Sweden's focus is no longer limited to territorial defense and operations in shallow island waters, but has expanded to capabilities for controlling more distant maritime areas.

In Sweden, some defense experts have raised questions: in an era where naval warfare is rapidly shifting towards unmanned systems, is it still meaningful to procure these billion-euro, 122-meter-long vessels? However, the Swedish government has also significantly increased its investment in unmanned systems. This spring, the government allocated 4 billion Swedish kronor (approximately 360 million euros) for this purpose, which includes funding for the procurement of attack drones. The goal is to achieve a combination of traditional defense systems and unmanned defense systems.

The report states that from this perspective, frigates remain essential. Because “if Russia attacks a Baltic state or otherwise tests NATO in the Baltic region, Sweden will play a key role.” Due to its geographical position, Sweden is a major gathering area for allied forces. Additionally, Sweden must quickly establish air superiority over the Baltic Sea—new frigates are very suitable for this task. (Translated by Zhu Jie, Lin Xiaoxuan, Jiao Yu)