Week 23 of 2026 was marked by significant events in Nordic defence industry and security policy. The Gripen programme was at the centre of attention, with both a ceremony in Linköping (southern Sweden, aerospace industry hub) and a ministerial meeting, while new Swedish legislation on shelters entered into force and several industrial contracts were signed in Sweden and Norway.

Domains

Air

  • Saab rolled out the first example of the Gripen F, the two-seat training and combat variant of the Gripen E, at a ceremony at the company's facility in Linköping (southern Sweden) on 2 June. The aircraft has been developed in cooperation with Brazilian industry under the Brazilian contract from 2014, which covers a total of 36 aircraft. The variant has also been ordered by Thailand and Colombia. Read more
  • The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) has delivered two new state aircraft of the type Bombardier Global 6500 (TP 106) to the Swedish Air Force at a contract value of approximately 1.1 billion SEK. The aircraft replace older Gulfstream jets and are intended to ensure transport for the country's highest leadership. They share a platform with the forthcoming S 106 GlobalEye airborne early warning and control aircraft, creating synergies. Read more

Cyber

  • The Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency FMA (Forsvarsmateriell) has placed a supplementary order worth approximately 14 million SEK with Swedish company Clavister, covering all remaining options in the Tactical Core Network System (TCNS) project. The order includes NATO interoperability as well as services for secure tactical communications. Read more

Space

  • Finland's state innovation agency Business Finland has granted Finnish satellite company ICEYE a continued research and development grant of 28.3 million euros. The grant is to be used to further develop sensor capabilities, data collection, and AI-driven analysis. ICEYE states that the company has reached a production rate of one satellite per week and is cooperating with European systems integrators in the field of command and control (C2) systems. Read more

Policy & Strategy

  • A new Swedish law on shelters and protected spaces entered into force on 1 June 2026. The law, administered by the Swedish Civil Defence Agency (Myndigheten för civilt försvar), introduces new requirements for municipalities and property owners, as well as a new shelter option in the form of protected spaces, such as metro stations, road tunnels, and car parks, as a complement to the country's approximately 64,000 existing shelters. Read more
  • Brazil's Minister of Defence José Múcio Monteiro Filho visited Sweden from 1 to 4 June 2026 at the invitation of Swedish Minister of Defence Pål Jonson. The ministers discussed bilateral defence cooperation with a focus on the aviation industry and ongoing negotiations regarding a possible purchase of an additional 20 Gripen fighter aircraft. Read more
  • France's Chief of the Defence, General Fabien Mandon, visited Finland from 1 to 2 June at the invitation of Finland's Chief of the Defence, General Janne Jaakkola. The programme included discussions on defence cooperation, joint exercise activities, and operational interoperability, as well as visits to the Finnish Border Guard (Rajavartiolaitos) and the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats (Hybrid CoE). Read more

Industry

  • W5 Solutions has signed a framework agreement with the Swedish Armed Forces (Försvarsmakten) valued at an estimated 700 million SEK, covering support, maintenance, and spare parts within training and simulation. The agreement runs for an initial three-year period with an option for a further three two-year periods. Read more
  • The Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency Forsvarsmateriell has delivered 55 new military trucks from Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles (RMMV) to the Norwegian Armed Forces. The vehicles form part of a joint Norwegian-Swedish framework agreement from 2014 valued at approximately 1.5 billion Norwegian kroner in the first phase, and replace older Scania trucks from 1986 to 1997. Read more
  • Swedish company Snigel has signed a contract with Thales in Germany worth 8.3 million SEK for the delivery of carrying systems adapted for the Thales GO12 radar, with an option for an additional 7.2 million SEK. The system has been developed over approximately 12 months and the first delivery is planned for January 2027. Read more
  • Knowit is participating in panel discussions at Almedalen Week (Sweden's annual political and public affairs forum, held in Visby on the island of Gotland) on digital resilience, defence tech, and competence supply for Sweden's Total Defence (Totalförsvar). The company highlights the need to scale innovation into production and to strengthen Nordic cooperation in defence technology. Read more

Taken together, Week 23 demonstrates a broad spectrum of activity within Nordic defence, ranging from strategic partnerships and new legislation to industrial deliveries and research and development investments in space and cybersecurity.