Methodical russian strikes against Ukrainian civilian population throughout all four years of aggression ultimately allowed Sweden’s Ministry of Defense to assess real war challenges and begin implementing territorial air defense program.
Its task will be protecting civilian population, critical infrastructure, and other important objects from air attacks. And its appearance is argued not only by Ukraine’s experience, but also by explanation that Sweden’s air defense focused on other tasks.
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Mobile fire group in Ukraine / Open source photo
Although it may seem that the task of air defense should include protecting civilian population, Sweden officially explained that:
Previously, the main task of air defense was protecting military units and military infrastructure. Now the government is moving forward in creating a territorial air defense system that will strengthen protection of combat units, including mobilization of military defense with capability to protect cities and civilian infrastructure.
Mobile fire group in Ukraine / Open source photo
The government allocated 15 billion Swedish kronor, approximately $1.63 billion, for creating territorial air defense program.
These funds will go toward creating a system characterized as follows:
- separate company-sized units
- armed with short-range air defense means that are simple and flexible
- mobile or tied to certain geographical areas
- provide protection, in particular, of civilian objects such as bridges, railway junctions, critical infrastructure objects, for example, nuclear and hydroelectric power plants, as well as cities
That is, overall we’re talking about repeating Ukrainian experience with forming mobile fire groups MFGs.
At the same time, implementation of this project is only beginning and first purchases of corresponding equipment should take place in the first quarter of 2026. The final deadline for creating Sweden’s territorial air defense program is not specified by the government.