The Swedish government has signed a deal to buy four new FDI-class frigates from France’s Naval Group, marking the country’s largest naval procurement since the 1980s.
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said the government chose Naval Group after assessing three competing bids and concluded the French design best met Sweden’s needs. The decision, he added, will substantially strengthen Swedish air defence, describing the capability as roughly triple today’s level.
Sweden, which applied for NATO membership in May 2022 after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and formally joined the alliance in March 2024, is accelerating efforts to expand and modernize its armed forces. The government has set an ambitious defense-spending path, targeting 3.5% of GDP by 2030.
Under the contract, Sweden will acquire four FDI frigates—each expected to have a 40-year service life. The ships will be named HSwMS Luleå, Norrköping, Trelleborg and Halmstad. The first vessel is due for delivery by 2030, with the remaining three arriving by 2035.
Estimated cost per ship is ‘‘just over 10 billion’’ Swedish crowns (around €0.9 billion or roughly $1.05 billion), depending on final weapon fit, putting the likely total above €3.5 billion. Officials stressed these figures are provisional and subject to change.
Defense Minister Pål Jonsson said the government insisted the frigates be equipped so they can carry Swedish-developed weapons, including systems from Saab. He highlighted a combination of factors influencing the choice: a relatively quick delivery schedule, the ability to share costs with France and other customers such as Greece, and the inclusion of a proven air-defence package.
Naval Group won the competition over rival bids from Spain’s Navantia and a British-Swedish proposal from Babcock together with Saab. Norway took a different course last year, selecting Babcock’s Arrowhead 120 frigate instead of the FDI.
The new frigates will significantly expand Sweden’s maritime defence. Today’s fleet includes five Visby-class corvettes and two older Gävle-class corvettes, alongside a small submarine force that is being upgraded and a variety of support, patrol and reconnaissance vessels.
The purchase underlines Sweden’s rapid shift in defence policy and procurement since joining NATO, and fits with broader efforts across the Nordic region to bolster military readiness amid heightened security concerns in Europe.