Sweden and France have signed a contract for four Luleå-class frigates to be built by French firm Naval Group for the Swedish Armed Forces.
The procurement agreement, valued at approximately $4bn, was signed between the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) and Naval Group on 31 August during a ceremony attended by Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and French President Emmanuel Macron in Stockholm.
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The agreement sets the stage for both the start of ship construction and preparations to equip Swedish Armed Forces personnel with the necessary skills to operate the new frigates.
The FMV is expected to receive the first frigate in 2030, with the remaining three to follow in succession.
The contract signing comes less than four months after Sweden’s Ministry of Defence selected Naval Group’s design for the Luleå-class programme, after considering proposals from other shipbuilders including Spain’s Navantia and the UK’s Babcock.
The Luleå class, based on the French Frégate de Défense et d’Intervention (FDI), will be equipped with advanced air defence and anti-submarine technologies for operations in northern European waters.
The frigates are approximately 122m long with a displacement of 4,500t and a top speed of 27 knots.
They feature anti-air missiles based on the Aster system and advanced surveillance systems designed to protect sea lanes and support Sweden’s commitments to Nato.
Naval Group chairman and CEO Pierre Éric Pommellet said: “I am delighted to be in Stockholm today to sign the contract for the delivery of four FDI frigates to Sweden, a major milestone in the cooperation between our two countries.
“It is an honour to put our expertise at the service of the Swedish Royal Navy’s sovereignty and naval superiority, and I would like to thank the Swedish authorities for their trust.”
In addition to the frigate contract, Swedish Defence Minister Pål Jonson and French Minister of the Armed Forces Catherine Vautrin signed a framework agreement intended to establish a long-term basis for defence cooperation between the two countries.
According to the Swedish Government, the agreement is designed to enhance collaboration on security policy, operational matters, defence equipment, and industrial development.
Kristersson said: “This will deepen the strategic partnership between Sweden and France. In an uncertain world, it is important that our countries, as like-minded Allies, stand strong together. Our intensified defence cooperation contributes to strengthening both European defence and Nato.”
