Sweden has unveiled a $525 million defense investment aimed at accelerating counter-drone programs and enhancing the readiness of its JAS 39 Gripen fighter fleet. The initiative fast-tracks delivery schedules for anti-drone systems by eight years, while strengthening logistics, spare parts supply, and base flexibility for dispersed air operations.
According to the Swedish Ministry of Defence, around $368 million of the package is directed toward anti-UAS sensors, jammers, and interceptor systems, with the remaining $158 million supporting Gripen maintenance, mission equipment, and deployable base kits. The move is designed to protect Swedish airfields and forward units from the growing threat of low-cost quadcopters and long-range one-way attack drones.
The counter-UAS architecture integrates early warning sensors, portable and vehicle-mounted jammers, and dedicated interceptors capable of neutralizing small drones before they threaten runways, depots, or aircraft on the ground. By bringing deliveries forward to 2028, Sweden aims to rapidly field these layered defenses and incorporate new counter-drone tactics directly into unit-level training.
On the airpower front, the Gripen upgrade focuses on availability and agility rather than fleet expansion. Additional spare parts and mobile support kits allow Swedish squadrons to sustain operations even if main bases are compromised. This approach revitalizes the Cold War–era BAS 90 dispersed basing concept, which enables Gripen fighters to launch from short, improvised road bases using small maintenance teams.
Enhanced logistics and modular equipment will allow Sweden’s Air Force to maintain sortie tempo, conduct air policing and strike missions from concealed highway sites, and withstand continuous drone or missile pressure.
With Sweden now integrated into NATO’s northern defense structure, the decision marks a shift toward resilient, adaptive force readiness suited to modern European threat dynamics. By combining rapid counter-drone deployment with flexible Gripen operations, Stockholm is reinforcing a defense posture built on survivability, mobility, and sustained combat capability — not merely on the number of aircraft in service.
