The Swedish government has selected (a so-called Down select) French Naval Group as the supplier of the Swedish Armed Forces' new frigates within the Luleå class. The announcement was presented during a press conference aboard a Visby corvette at Skeppsbron in Stockholm by Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Minister of Defence Pål Jonson, together with Supreme Commander Michael Claesson.
Minister of Defence Pål Jonson said during the press conference that the reasons for choosing the French bid were the possibility of rapid delivery and technical maturity, cost-sharing with France and Greece, and the fact that it already has a proven air defence system.
The Minister of Defence further stated that the ships will be equipped with the ASTER 30 air defence system, which can shoot down ballistic missiles, and the medium-range CAMM-ER air defence system (a variant of those installed on Sweden's Visby-class corvettes), which can protect against cruise missiles and combat aircraft.
Pål Jonson also said that the government wants the frigates to be equipped with systems from the Swedish defence industry, including Saab's RBS15 anti-ship missile, Torpedo 47, the G1X radar, and Trackfire weapon stations, as well as the 57mm multi-role gun and 40mm multi-role cannon from BAE Systems Bofors.
The choice means that the Swedish Navy will be equipped with four frigates based on Naval Group's FDI concept (Frégate de Défense et d'Intervention). The vessels weigh around 4,000 tonnes and are developed for air defence and anti-submarine warfare.
According to information regarding the French bid, Naval Group has offered a delivery plan whereby the first fully equipped frigate could be delivered to Sweden during 2030.
The background to the French offer was highlighted earlier this year when NDS visited the French frigate Amiral Ronarc'h in Gothenburg (western Sweden) and interviewed France's ambassador to Sweden, Thierry Carlier. The ambassador described Sweden at the time as a key partner for Europe's future defence cooperation.
"Now is the time to seriously develop autonomous, European defence industry solutions together between Sweden and France. We have both the expertise and the industrial assets to do so," said Thierry Carlier in the interview with NDS.
The FDI class is already in service with the French Navy and has also been ordered by Greece. The vessels are developed for a high degree of digitalisation and advanced air defence and anti-submarine warfare capability.
"I thank Sweden and see this as an expression of the trust that exists between our two countries," wrote French President Emmanuel Macron on X.
"Following France's decision to acquire Saab's GlobalEye to replace our radar surveillance aircraft, this is a strategically important decision that demonstrates the mutual trust between France and Sweden," Macron continued.