Week 38, 2025 was marked by historic defence budgets, record investments in air defence, and important materiel deliveries across the Nordic region and Europe. Here is the week's compiled defence news.

Domains

Naval

  • Saab has been awarded the task of leading the NATO project Allied Underwater Battlespace Mission Network (AUWB-MN), which commenced on 1 September. The consortium, operating under the name Mangrove, will develop a reference architecture and test environment for secure information sharing between manned and unmanned systems in the underwater domain, with support from twelve countries including Sweden and the United States. Read more

Air

  • Denmark is undertaking its largest single defence investment to date by acquiring eight ground-based air and missile defence systems at an estimated cost of 58 billion Danish kroner. For long-range systems, Denmark has selected the Franco-Italian SAMP/T. The decision was taken by the parties behind the Defence Agreement. Read more
  • Swedish Minister for Defence Pål Jonson received the Commander of the Brazilian Air Force, Lieutenant General Marcelo Kanitz Damasceno, in Stockholm (Sweden) on 16 September. A joint declaration was signed on a deepened strategic partnership, with the Swedish-Brazilian Gripen programme as a central element. Read more

Land

  • The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) has signed a contract worth approximately 211 million Swedish kronor with Belgian manufacturer FN Herstal for the delivery of heavy machine guns (Kulspruta 88, calibre 12.7x99 mm) for the Swedish Armed Forces' new armoured all-terrain vehicles, the CAVS 6x6. The main delivery is scheduled for November 2026, with options extending to 2028. Read more
  • The first BvS10 tracked vehicles under the joint procurement programme have been delivered by BAE Systems Hägglunds in Örnsköldsvik (northern Sweden) to Sweden, Germany, and the United Kingdom. The programme covers a total of 663 vehicles to be delivered by 2028, of which Sweden has ordered 236, Germany 367, and the United Kingdom 60. Read more
  • The Infantry has, after two years of planning, been assigned its own beret colour: dark brown. The berets are worn by the Dalregementet (Dalarna Regiment) in Falun (central Sweden) and the Västernorrlands regemente (Västernorrland Regiment) in Sollefteå (northern Sweden), while the infantry of the Livgardet (Life Guards) receives its own badge bearing the cipher of HM King Carl XVI Gustaf. Read more
  • The Italian Army Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Carmine Masiello, conducted an official visit to Finland from 2 to 4 September at the invitation of the Army Commander, Lieutenant General Pasi Välimäki. The visit included the exercise Southern Griffin 25 and discussions on deepened cooperation and NATO integration. Read more

Cyber

  • Forsvarsmateriell (Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency) has signed a strategic framework agreement with Accenture for service integration to the defence sector. The agreement has a ceiling of 600 million Norwegian kroner over seven years and will support the development of a new capability within the Cyberforsvaret (Norwegian Cyber Defence). Read more

Policy & Strategy

  • The Swedish Government has presented, in the Budget Bill for 2026, the largest defence investment since the Cold War. Appropriations increase by 26.6 billion Swedish kronor, a rise of 18 per cent compared with 2025. Defence expenditure is projected to reach 2.8 per cent of GDP in 2026 and 3.1 per cent from 2028, with the target of reaching 3.5 per cent by 2030. Daily allowances for those serving under the Total Defence conscription system (Totalförsvarsplikt) are raised to 200 Swedish kronor per day. Read more
  • Denmark has taken a decision in principle to acquire long-range precision weapons, based on a military recommendation from the Chief of Defence Michael Wiggers Hyldgaard. The decision is motivated by lessons drawn from the war in Ukraine. Read more
  • Danish Minister for Defence Troels Lund Poulsen, Norwegian Minister for Defence Tore O Sandvik, and Icelandic Minister for Foreign Affairs Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir participated on 15 September in the exercise Arctic Light 2025 in Nuuk (Greenland). The exercise brings together more than 550 soldiers from Denmark, Sweden, Norway, France, and Germany, and is led by Arctic Command. Read more

Industry

  • Andreas Nilsson takes up the position of Chief Executive Officer of Knowit Dataunit, alongside his role as Head of Defence at Knowit. He has a background in the Swedish Armed Forces and the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV), with a focus on command and communication systems in the aviation domain. Read more
  • Panasonic Toughbook is demonstrating at Defence Tech Days how rugged mobility technology can enhance operational capability for defence and emergency services. The company has been delivering rugged devices for field use in demanding environments since 1996. Read more

Week 38 confirms a clear Nordic and European trend towards significantly increased defence appropriations, accelerated materiel programmes, and deepened alliance cooperation, spanning from the Arctic to the underwater domain.