Swedish opposition party, ahead in polls, could push for state ownership in Saab https://breakingdefense.com/2026/06/swedish-opposition-party-ahead-in-polls-could-push-for-state-ownership-in-saab/

I spoke with @jonasolsson.bsky.social about our new nuke number estimates and the scrambling in Europe for nuclear and conventional deterrence fixes given Trump’s undermining of US credibility and security guarantee. breakingdefense.com/2026/06/macr...

Ukraine to acquire up to 20 Gripen fighter jets, on track to receive batch of older models https://breakingdefense.com/2026/05/ukraine-to-acquire-up-to-20-gripen-fighter-jets-on-track-to-receive-batch-of-older-models/

Sweden selects French FDI frigates from Naval Group https://breakingdefense.com/2026/05/sweden-selects-french-fdi-frigates-from-naval-group/

Just published a new piece on my Stack. If you’re interested in defence strategy, NATO’s posture on the Northern Flank, or what deterrence actually looks like today, you can subscribe and support my work here. open.substack.com/pub/jonasols...?

STOCKHOLM — During a trip to Stockholm today German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the American withdrawal of troops from Germany does ”not yet” pose a risk to the country’s ”strategic bases.” breakingdefense.com/2026/05/amer...

🚨 Just wrapped up a fascinating visit with major international media at BAE Hägglunds’ CV90 test range. Got an inside look at how the company is ramping up production to one CV90 infantry fighting vehicle per day. Full story now live on 👇@breakingdefense.com Photo credit: Jonas Olsson

Ukraine attacks on oil and gas to be ‘painful’ for Russian economy: Official https://breakingdefense.com/2026/03/ukraine-attacks-on-oil-and-gas-to-be-painful-for-russian-economy-official/

TALLINN—The value of unmanned systems was never more apparent, than during Operation Spider’s Web in which Ukraine’s intelligence services launched several waves of drones from commercial trucks deep inside Russia to take out Russian military aircraft. breakingdefense.com/2026/03/in-t...

In tiny Estonia, drones lead booming defense expansion https://breakingdefense.com/2026/03/in-tiny-estonia-drones-lead-booming-defense-expansion/

Once again re-upping my search for any Marine stationed at 29 Palms between March and July of 1995.

Check out The Weekly Break Out

On the flightline with Swedish fighter jets in Iceland, in Cold War 2.0 Deployment comes after Reykjavík adopted Iceland’s first-ever defense strategy in 70 years of NATO history. By Jonas Olsson breakingdefense.com/2026/03/on-t...

Good to be back in the Baltics again after three decades. I spent a lot of time here in the mid-1990s documenting the Soviet destruction. Everything is in the SVT archive.

Diving into the UK-Swedish offer (Arrowhead 120) for Sweden's new Luleå-class surface combatants that went public this week—and why it likely has a strong edge over France's Naval Group FDI and Spain's Navantia Alpha 4000 in the $4.5–6.7B deal. breakingdefense.com/2026/02/saab...

Need help with #editing? The Journalist's Toolbox has a page of dozens of #AI editing tools and training videos on how to use them ...

I’ve got my own stack now. Welcome 🔔 open.substack.com/pub/jonasols...

🚀🚀🚀 Lots of buzz around potential Nordic nuclear weapons. Check my and Martin Hedströms interactive feature, marking its eight consecutive year tracking all nine nuclear-armed states’ warheads, delivery platforms, and progress over the past 20 years. Eye-opening data ✅ ➡️svt.se/datajournalist…

STOCKHOLM — In a significant victory for South Korean defense exports, Norway selected Hanwha Aerospace’s Chunmoo multiple launch rocket system over prominent Western competitors for its ground-based long-range precision fires system. breakingdefense.com/2026/01/norw...

And one small step - among several at the moment - towards a different nuclear posture in Europe bsky.app/profile/jona...

STOCKHOLM — Sweden has had very early discussions with France and the United Kingdom about possible nuclear weapons cooperation, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has revealed.  breakingdefense.com

Farewell New START – Hello Arms Race In just 10 days, New START expires. That's the last remaining arms control agreement between the US and Russia that caps strategic nuclear weapons and allows on-site inspections. My latest @mediehusetkvartal.bsky.social kvartal.se/olawong/arti...

Oslo and Copenhagen have separately, and on the same day, confirmed significant additions to their naval forces, both aimed at strengthening surveillance and protection of undersea infrastructure and strategic maritime areas in the North European waters. breakingdefense.com/2025/12/norw...

STOCKHOLM — The Polish government has officially chosen the Swedish offer of Saab’s next-generation A26 Blekinge-class submarines for its long-awaited Orka submarine program, in what is expected to be a 10 billion Polish zloty ($2.52 billion) investment. breakingdefense.com/2025/11/pola...

🇸🇪 Sweden to pick partner for 4 new Luleå-class frigates (~120m, advanced AD, drones, NATO-compatible) by early 2026, DefMin Pål Jonson announces. 🇫🇷 France officially in the race, confirmed today alongside French DefMin Catherine Vautrin in Stockholm. breakingdefense.com/2025/11/swed...

With royal push, Sweden pitches Canada on economic benefits of buying Gripen breakingdefense.com/2025/11/with...

STOCKHOLM — As a NATO anti-submarine warfare exercise kicked off this week, top commanders said that with Sweden in the alliance, the Baltic Sea is now a “lake full of NATO submarines” under unified command. breakingdefense.com/2025/11/with...

It's never too late to join Substack! Subscribe to my newsletter on defense & security news from NATO's northern flank. Welcome aboard! substack.com/profile/1417...

COPENHAGEN — Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson today signed a letter of intent laying the groundwork for Kyiv to make a massive purchase of anywhere from 100 to 150 Gripen E fighter jets from Swedih Saab. breakingdefense.com/2025/10/ukra...

STOCKHOLM — Sweden will participate in NATO’s annual nuclear military exercise for the first time, a major step for a nation that avoided military alliance for 200 years and has avoided nuclear entanglements entirely. breakingdefense.com/2025/10/swed...

Berlin revealed that it is considering Swedish defense firm Saab’s airborne early warning and control platform (AEW&C), Global Eye. France has already opted for the surveillance and command plane. breakingdefense.com/2025/09/germ...

🇸🇪 Sweden to phase out dev aid to Myanmar by June ‘26, redirecting focus to Ukraine. Move comes as conditions worsen under Myanmar’s junta. #Sweden #Myanmar #Ukraine #ForeignAid ➡️ www.regeringen.se/pressmeddela...

STOCKHOLM — Just three days after Sweden closed a $550 million deal with Bangkok for four Gripen E/F fighter jets, a high-level Peruvian delegation in search of its own more modern fighter fleet visited Stockholm to hold talks with their Swedish counterparts about Saab’s Gripen.

STOCKHOLM — Sweden and Thailand finalized an agreement today in which Bangkok will buy four Gripen E/F fighter jets from Swedish defense firm Saab, with an order value of around 5.3 billion Swedish kronor ($550 million USD).

STOCKHOLM — The foreign ministers of the Nordic nations as well as Canada today expressed strong, unified support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity amid Russia’s ongoing missile attacks on Ukraine, as well as a willingness to play a part in any future security guarantees for Kyiv.

STOCKHOLM — The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) told Breaking Defense that a formal signing ceremony is expected to take place later this month to mark Thailand’s acquisition of additional Saab JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets. ➡️ breakingdefense.com/2025/08/swed...

STOCKHOLM – The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has confirmed that Saab Gripen fighter aircraft were used against Cambodia over the weekend, marking the first-known weapons launch in combat from the Swedish jet. ➡️ breakingdefense.com/2025/07/afte...

STOCKHOLM — Sweden has signed contracts worth over 5 billion Swedish kronor ($523 million) for artillery ammunition, marking its largest investment in such munitions since the 1980s. ➡️ breakingdefense.com/2025/07/swed...

Russia’s new navy vessel ‘Vice Admiral Burylychev’ launched in the Baltic Sea in July. It joins the MoD’s GUGI fleet for undersea surveillance & seabed warfare. militarnyi.com/uk/news/rosi...

STOCKHOLM — Sweden has launched a major procurement to bolster air defense capabilities in the Baltic Sea region. The initiative includes medium- and short-range missile systems, radars, command infrastructure and vehicle platforms. ➡️ breakingdefense.com/2025/06/swed...

Explore the world’s nuclear forces in 2025! ~2,100 warheads are on high alert. SVT’s interactive story, now in its 7th year, tracks warheads, their carriers, & modernization in 9 nuclear-armed states: 🇷🇺🇺🇸🇨🇳🇫🇷🇬🇧🇵🇰🇮🇳🇮🇱🇰🇵 ➡️ www.svt.se/datajournali...

Just days before NATO is set to gather for its high-profile summit at The Hague, Sweden today revealed it would delay its goal of hitting 3.5% GDP defense spending until up to 2032 — the timeline officials said is likely to be agreed upon by NATO allies next week. breakingdefense.com/2025/06/swed...

STOCKHOLM — Sweden and Finland’s accession to NATO will enhance the alliance’s missile defense posture through geographical and operational depth, allowing for the deployment of more air defense systems. breakingdefense.com/2025/06/scan...

Swedish SVT published a fancy infographic of our global nuke arsenal data from the SIPRI Yearbook just published today. www.svt.se/datajournali...

STOCKHOLM — China has boosted its nuclear arsenal by 100 warheads in just one year, growing from an estimated 500 to over 600 warheads in 2025, according to new data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). breakingdefense.com/2025/06/chin...

Visited Uppsala University for the fascinating #AlvaMyrdal2025 conference this week. Paintings of Swedish war kings gave perspective. Stories on #nukes, #missiles, & #scandinaviadefense coming soon. Stay tuned ⚡️⚡️⚡️

The multinational air combat exercise Arctic Challenge (ACE), scheduled to take place this week in Luleå, northern Sweden, has been canceled. The U.S. Air Force will not be attending, according to public broadcaster SVT. 1/4 www.svt.se/nyheter/loka...