Sweden will supply Ukraine with 18 more Archer SPHs (pictured) and five ARTHUR weapon-locating radars. (FMV)
Sweden will supply Ukraine with 18 more Archer self-propelled howitzers (SPHs) and five ARTillery HUnting Radar (ARTHUR) weapon-locating radars, the Swedish government and Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) have announced.
The FMV announced on its website on 14 March that it had signed an agreement with BAE Systems Bofors for deliveries of the ARTHURs starting in 2025 and for the Archers beginning in 2026.
The Swedish government said in a press release on 13 March that it would also provide financial support to Ukraine's defence industry through a Danish initiative that could be used to procure 155 mm artillery shells or Ukrainian-built Bohdana SPHs.
In addition, Sweden will participate in the Ukraine Defense Contact Group's artillery coalition, which aims to co-ordinate support for developing and strengthening Ukraine's artillery capacity and to increase interoperability with NATO.
The artillery support package is worth approximately SEK3 billion (USD297 million).
Swedish Minister of Defence Pål Jonson said on 13 March that his Ukrainian counterpart, Rustem Umerov, had emphasised during a meeting in Copenhagen on the second weekend of March that “Ukraine is in urgent need of artillery and artillery ammunition. This has been a priority for Ukraine since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion”.
The Swedish government added, “Through increased production volumes in the Swedish defence sector, this artillery package will contribute to strengthening the security of supply and production capacity of defence materiel in Sweden, Ukraine, and Europe.”
Previously, Sweden has donated eight Archers to Ukraine, and along with the UK, an unspecified number of ARTHURs.
For more information, please seeUpdate – Ukraine conflict: UK and Sweden strengthen co-operation, including on Archer SPHs .
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