Finland is buying more Swedish air defence systems

Finland’s RBS 70 NG air defence system procurement will expand the country’s short-range ground-based air defence coverage, after the Ministry of Defence (Puolustusministeriö) authorised the Finnish Defence Forces (Puolustusvoimat) to buy updated Swedish-made systems from Saab. The decision was announced on Friday by Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen, who said the new systems will strengthen Finland’s ability to respond to different aerial threats. The procurement is worth €108 million excluding value-added tax and includes munitions, training equipment and a maintenance system. Finland strengthens short-range air defence The new purchase concerns the RBS 70 NG ground-based air defence system, produced by Sweden’s Saab Bofors Dynamics. It is an updated version of the ITO05M mobile surface-to-air missile system already used by the Finnish Defence Forces. According to the ministry, the system will improve Finland’s ability to counter both unmanned aerial vehicles and manned aircraft. This makes the procurement relevant not only for traditional air defence, but also for the growing challenge posed by drones in modern warfare. “We are developing Finland’s air defence system against a full range of threats,” Häkkänen said. “Safeguarding our preparedness requires appropriate and modern systems for each type of threat. This procurement is only one component of … The post Finland is buying more Swedish air defence systems appeared first on NordiskPost .