- Sweden’s Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) has placed another order for air defence systems with Saab
- These radar, command and control components are scheduled for delivery between 2029 and 2030
- The Giraffe AMB is best suited for protecting fixed national infrastructure
Sweden has placed another order for ground based air defence systems as the country looks to strengthen every protective layer of its territory.
The deal, which comes to kr1.2bn ($129m), will see Saab deliver units for short to medium range air defence systems before the end of the decade. Specifically, the original equipment manufacturer will provide its Giraffe agile multi beam (AMB) surveillance radar and integrated command and control units.
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This latest order, however, looks to build a wider airspace picture than recent orders.
Gute II: counter drone
This is the latest GBAD order, with the FMV having procured Giraffe systems before, the Government is eager to protect the homeland at every protective layer, including the inner counter-drone layer through the creation of its Gute II concept.
Gute II is a system-of-systems network linking sensors – such as the more compact X-band Giraffe 1X radar, ideal for tracking slow-moving Russian drones – with effectors such as 40 and 30 mm guns.
In a briefing on its financial results for the first quarter of 2026, Saab’s president and CEO Micael Johansson pointed out that the company plan to increase the production of Giraffe 1X radars to 300 units per year due to the ongoing demand among Middle East countries eager to detect all the Iranian missiles and drones flying over their territory.
Notably, these sensors are for localised, force protection on the move, protecting mobile convoys or fixed military bases.
Giraffe AMB: wide area surveillance
However, the Giraffe AMB is a larger system that provides coverage for the medium-range threats (120km / 75 miles).
It is mounted on a truck and operates at different frequency band to the smaller 1X version.
While the 1X works as a counter drone surveillance system, the AMB provides wide area surveillance. This makes the system be suited to protect static installations of civil and military importance, such as energy infrastucture.
Russian strategy demonstrates that frontline fighting goes hand in hand with indiscriminate hybrid strikes comprising small Shahed drones and advanced missiles like the Kh-101 cruise missile, which Moscow has adapted continuously to Western air defences since the full-scale invasion began.
