– We want to have a permanent opportunity not only to fight in our own area, but also to expose the attacker to the risk of having to defend on its territory Claesson said in an interview with TT press agency. He added that in his opinion Sweden must be able to hit, for example, logistics objects.
Claesson, commander -in -chief of the Swedish army He did not specify what specific long -range weapons systems want to acquire the army. He said it was a range of 150 to 500 km. The Królewiec region, which belongs to Russia, is located 270 km south of the Swedish island of Gotland.
The TT agency reported that Such parameters are fulfilled by, among others Himars American artillery system, which has a range of 300 km. A few months ago, US soldiers tested him at the Visby training ground in Gotland, and similarly similar exercises took place in the Stockholm archipelago.
Until now, the Swedish armed forces had at their disposal Archer howitzers with a range of 30 to 50 km, which allow mainly to defend their own country, but not an attack on the purposes of the enemy's territory. The armed forces currently perform procedures for selecting the appropriate long -range systems, and the order is to be made in autumn So that the weapon is delivered within 2-3 years.
As Claesson argues, thanks to the new defense capabilities, Sweden “can play a much more active role in NATO deterrent, not necessarily in Sweden, but perhaps in Finland or Baltic countries.” This week, the commander visited the military unit in Gotland and announced further militarization of this island located in the Baltic.
