“Investment in Our Own Security”: Sweden Learns from Its Weapons on Ukraine’s Front Line

Ukraine’s battlefield experience with Swedish-made weapons is giving Stockholm valuable lessons in how to adapt its defense technology for modern warfare, Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson said in an interview with Lithuanian broadcaster LRT on November 11.

When asked what feedback Sweden had received about its weapons supplied to Ukraine, Jonson said the insights were both detailed and practical.

“A great deal. We have sent different types of weapons to Ukraine, and the Ukrainians are very generous with their feedback—so we can get reports on how our combat boats, armored vehicles, Archer howitzers, or other systems perform. It allows us to test them in combat conditions and adapt them better,” Jonson said.

According to him, the way Swedish weapons are used on the Ukrainian front—and the support Sweden provides—has become “an inspiring example.”

“I always say that helping Ukraine is both right and wise—it’s truly an investment in our own security. Right now, Ukraine is the shield against Russian military expansion, and Putin will not stop until he is stopped. Our Ukrainian friends are doing that right now,” Jonson said.

Ukrainian forces are currently using a wide range of Swedish weapons, including Archer self-propelled howitzers, CV90 infantry fighting vehicles, and Combat Boat 90 (CB90) assault craft, among others.

Recently, Ukraine’s Navy received another batch of CB90 boats from Sweden and Norway. The fast assault craft can perform a range of missions—from troop landings and coastal defense to patrols and protection of civilian shipping—and have been deployed across Ukraine’s rivers and coastal waters.

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