Saab Renews Sweden’s Coastal Anti-Ship Missile Force With SEK 800 Million Contract

Saab has signed a contract worth roughly SEK 800 million (Swedish kronor) with Sweden’s Defence Materiel Administration FMV to renew the country’s land-to-sea anti-ship missile capability. The deal covers RBS15 Mk3 anti-ship missiles (a guided missile fired from land at ships at sea) integrated into a truck-mounted launch module, with deliveries expected to begin in 2026.

The contract aims at a comprehensive generational leap for the missile system that protects Sweden’s coastline against threats from the sea. Saab said it booked a substantial part of the order in the third quarter of 2024. FMV, as the state agency responsible for procuring weapons and equipment for the Swedish armed forces, stands on the buyer’s side.

The scope of the contract

The new agreement provides for a transition to the Mk3 version, which will replace the older-generation RBS15 Mk2 systems already in Swedish inventory. The missiles are mounted on a truck-based launcher that can deploy rapidly along the coastline. That mobility makes the system harder to detect and strike than fixed batteries; units can fire the missile from different points and then relocate.

Görgen Johansson, head of Saab’s Dynamics business area, said in his comments on the deal that Sweden would gain a “significant capability boost with an anti-ship missile that has a more advanced seeker, increased range and a larger warhead.” The seeker refers to the guidance section that lets the missile find and lock onto the correct ship in the terminal phase.

What the RBS15 Mk3 offers

The RBS15 Mk3 is described as an anti-ship missile with a range exceeding 200 kilometers. The system can be fired from both warships and land vehicles and is used primarily against naval targets. The extended range means a coastal battery can threaten ships in open water from a far greater distance.

The missile is jointly developed and produced by Saab and its German partner Diehl Defence. Its larger warhead stands out as another element that increases its effectiveness against naval targets.

The Baltic and NATO context

Sweden reintroduced a coastal anti-ship missile capability into its army inventory in 2016; this latest move involves strengthening that existing capability with next-generation missiles and launcher platforms. The decision is being taken against the backdrop of mounting concerns over maritime security in the Baltic Sea.

Following Sweden’s NATO membership, the country’s need to protect its long coastline intertwines with the alliance’s overall defense planning in the Baltic. Land-fired, mobile, long-range anti-ship missiles are seen as a classic deterrent for narrowing an adversary’s room to maneuver in the tight, shallow waters of the Baltic.

The coast-to-sea anti-ship missile concept is being adopted by countries with similar geographies around the world. Türkiye, too, is pursuing work to integrate its indigenous ATMACA anti-ship missile onto various platforms, including land-based batteries; this can be read as a national answer to the same type of need that the RBS15 Mk3 addresses — protecting the coastline against threats from the sea with striking power.

Open-source verification notes

• The contract value (~SEK 800 million), buyer agency (FMV), system (RBS15 Mk3), truck-mounted launcher, 200+ km range and 2026 delivery start were confirmed via Saab’s official press release.
• The quote attributed to Görgen Johansson (head of Saab’s Dynamics business area), the reintroduction of the capability into inventory in 2016 and the Diehl Defence partnership likewise appear in Saab’s official statement.
• The information that a large part of the order was booked in the third quarter of 2024 was disclosed by Saab.
• That the older RBS15 Mk2 is the existing system and will be replaced by the Mk3 was confirmed.

Sources

• Saab official press release — “Saab to modernise Sweden’s coastal anti-ship missile capability”