Sweden seeks details on missile systems to upgrade Amphibious Corps

LONDON — Sweden is seeking to upgrade its amphibious battalions with short-range, anti-ship missile or surface-to-surface missile systems to strike targets at sea and on land as well as ensure the security of its maritime assets.

In early September, the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration, or FMV, released a request for information regarding a requirement made by the Swedish military to enhance the coastal defense capabilities of the Amphibious Corps.

The RFI serves as the first step in the country’s acquisition process to gather detailed information from industry regarding anti-ship missile or surface-to-surface missile systems, according to the notice .

A contract notice is expected to follow about June 2024.

Hans Jørn Kongelf, vice president for business development within the missile systems division at Norwegian defense company Kongsberg, told Defense News that if Sweden invites the company to take part in the planned tender, the firm will “most likely participate.”

“We are obviously interested, and we are looking forward to looking into the request for information that Sweden could release with regards to this tender,” he said at the DSEI conference in London, which runs Sept. 12-15.

Kongelf added that Kongsberg is confident FMV will like its Naval Strike Missile offering both in terms of price and technical aspects.

“The U.S. Marine Corps selected the NSM. We have shown that, if the price-capacity ratio is the main factor to be considered in the decision-making process, our product wins,” according to the company representative.

Kongelf also said the company would most likely be locked in a fierce competition against Sweden’s defense industry for the potential missile order.

When asked about the RFI, Conal Walker, a media relations manager at Swedish firm Saab, said the business is “aware of it and will look into it, as we would in any other potential defense requirement.”

The Swedish Navy already operates several variants of the the Saab-made RBS15 missile.

This potential order could be part of the FMV’s ongoing efforts to upgrade and expand the capacities of the Amphibious Corps. In May 2023, the agency awarded a contract to acquire eight new vessels fitted with artillery capabilities to local shipbuilder Swede Ship Marine AB.

Elisabeth Gosselin-Malo was a Europe correspondent for Defense News. She covers a wide range of topics related to military procurement and international security, and specializes in reporting on the aviation sector. She is based in Milan, Italy.

Jaroslaw Adamowski is the Poland correspondent for Defense News.

伦敦——瑞典正寻求为其两栖营配备短程反舰导弹或地对地导弹系统，以打击海上和陆地目标，并确保其海上资产的安全。

9月初，瑞典国防物资管理局（FMV）发布了一份信息征询书，内容涉及瑞典军方提出的增强两栖部队海岸防御能力的需求。

根据公告，RFI是该国采购流程的第一步，旨在从业界收集有关反舰导弹或地对地导弹系统的详细信息。

预计将于2024年6月左右发布合同通知。

挪威国防公司康斯伯格导弹系统部门业务发展副总裁汉斯·约恩·孔格尔夫告诉《防务新闻》，如果瑞典邀请该公司参加计划中的招标，该公司“很可能会参加”。

“我们显然对此很感兴趣，并期待着研究瑞典可能就此招标发布的信息请求，”他在9月12日至15日在伦敦举行的DSEI会议上说。

Kongelf补充说，Kongsberg相信FMV会喜欢其海军打击导弹产品，无论从价格还是技术方面来看都是如此。

“美国海军陆战队选择了NSM。我们已经证明，如果价格容量比是决策过程中需要考虑的主要因素，那么我们的产品胜出，”该公司代表表示。

Kongelf 还表示，该公司很可能将与瑞典国防工业展开激烈竞争，以争取潜在的导弹订单。

当被问及这份信息征询书时，瑞典萨博公司媒体关系经理科纳尔·沃克表示，该公司“已经知晓此事，并将进行调查，就像我们对待任何其他潜在的国防需求一样”。

瑞典海军已经装备了萨博公司生产的RBS15导弹的几种不同型号。

这项潜在订单可能是联邦军事交通局（FMV）持续提升和扩充两栖部队能力的举措之一。2023年5月，该机构与当地造船企业瑞典船舶海事公司（Swede Ship Marine AB）签订合同，采购八艘配备火炮的新型舰艇。

伊丽莎白·戈斯林-马洛曾任《防务新闻》欧洲通讯员。她的报道涵盖军事采购和国际安全等广泛领域，尤其擅长航空领域的报道。她常驻意大利米兰。

Jaroslaw Adamowski 是《防务新闻》驻波兰记者。