The Swedish government announced it would be purchasing 44 new German Leopard 2 A8 main battle tanks and plans to modernize its existing fleet of 66 Leopard 2 tanks as well as other combat vehicles in its military arsenal, according to its Defense Ministry on Thursday.
Sweden, a new NATO member, expects to spend about 22 billion kronor ($1.97 billion) on the measures over the coming years.
According to the ministry, this investment aims to significantly enhance the defensive capabilities of the Scandinavian EU nation and support the completion of four brigades currently being established, the ministry said.
Defense Minister Pal Jonson explained that due to the deteriorating security situation, the country is undertaking its largest military buildup since the 1950s.
He stated that the investments in tanks and combat vehicles are a crucial part of this effort.
The Swedish defense agency FMV has reportedly signed an agreement with the German-French arms company KNDS regarding the delivery of the new Leopard tanks.
Ten of these tanks are set to replace those Sweden has donated to Ukraine.
The new tanks are scheduled to be delivered in 2028 and are expected to continue until 2031. In Sweden, they will be named Stridsvagn 123.
Sweden, which was militarily non-aligned for many years, applied for NATO membership along with its neighbor Finland following Russia's invasion of Ukraine nearly three years ago. It joined the Western Alliance in March of last year.
