Sweden to provide Ukraine with artillery systems and radars worth US$295 million

Sweden will purchase Archer self-propelled artillery systems and Arthur counter-battery radars for Ukraine as part of its 18th military aid package worth US$295 million.

As part of its military assistance to Ukraine, Sweden will purchase 18 Archer self-propelled artillery systems and five Arthur radars while also investing in Ukraine's defence production, particularly the production of Bohdana self-propelled artillery systems.

Additionally, Stockholm intends to join the artillery coalition within the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (also known as the Ramstein Group).

The total value of this part of Sweden's military package is about SEK 3 billion (US$295 million).

"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. Ukraine’s Minister of Defence Rustem Umierov highlighted this point when I met him at the weekend," Swedish Defence Minister Pål Jonson commented.

The Swedish government noted that Ukraine had previously received eight Archer artillery systems and one Arthur radar system in cooperation with the UK.

Deliveries of the new Arthur systems are set to begin in 2025, with Archer system deliveries scheduled for 2026.

The eighteenth military assistance package to Ukraine, which the Swedish government announced in late January, totals SEK 13.5 billion (approximately US$1.25 billion) and is the largest since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion.

Earlier, it was reported that Sweden plans to allocate SEK 75 billion [approx. US$7 billion] in military aid to Ukraine in 2024-2026.