FDI frigates will anchor a major expansion of Sweden’s naval capabilities after Stockholm and Paris finalized a contract for four ships for the Royal Swedish Navy. The agreement, signed on August 31, 2026 in Stockholm aboard the French Navy’s first-in-class FDI, formalizes Sweden’s selection of the design for its future Luleå-class and sets a delivery start in 2030.
The contract was signed by Mikael Granholm, Director-General of the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV), and Pierre Éric Pommellet, Chairman and CEO of Naval Group, in the presence of French President Emmanuel Macron and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. Officials said the deal follows an exclusive negotiation phase that began less than four months after Sweden chose the FDI for its next-generation surface combatants.
The program will leverage Naval Group’s active production line, which is already supplying ships to France and Greece, to accelerate timelines. Beyond hull delivery, the package establishes a long-term industrial partnership that includes significant technology transfer to Swedish defense companies, according to authorities.
In parallel, Swedish Defence Minister Pål Jonson and French Armed Forces Minister Catherine Vautrin signed a broader framework to deepen operational and industrial defense cooperation between the two countries.
FDI frigates and Sweden’s post-NATO accession mission
Rear Admiral Johan Norlén, Chief of the Royal Swedish Navy, wrote in an opinion piece that the acquisition reflects Sweden’s expanded tasks as a NATO member. The navy is now expected to help secure the Baltic Sea and its approaches to protect vital sea lines of communication for Sweden and regional partners including Finland and the Baltic states.
Meeting these multi-domain requirements across the Baltic Sea, the North Sea, and the High North will demand large surface combatants with reach and firepower. Luleå-class FDI frigates will feature advanced sensors and a mix of Aster 30 and CAMM-ER missiles to provide layered air defense against threats from massed drones to high-speed ballistic missiles.
“This is a strategically important investment that strengthens Sweden’s defense capability. The four frigates will triple Sweden’s current air defense capability. This is essential to Sweden’s security and NATO’s capability.”
Swedish Defence Minister Pål Jonson
Clarification on Naval Cruise Missile
Reports in France suggested the Swedish ships would field MBDA’s Naval Cruise Missile. People familiar with the contract said the package signed does not include the SYLVER A70 vertical launcher required for that weapon.
As contracted, the Luleå-class will carry SYLVER A50 for the Aster family and the new SYLVER Cold Launch for CAMM-ER. A separate weapons contract is expected later.
Discussions on cruise missiles began only recently and, following the Hellenic Navy approach, an option may allow one A50 module to be swapped for an A70 at a future date if Sweden decides to add a land-attack capability. That option remains conditional.
“By equipping Swedish frigates with the Aster missile and possibly the Naval Cruise Missile, France is not merely delivering ships. It is also providing a capability to protect the territories of our friends.”
French President Emmanuel Macron
Crewed Frigates and Uncrewed Platforms: A Complementary Doctrine
Addressing debate over fully uncrewed fleets, Rear Admiral Norlén argued for a hybrid approach.
“uncrewed where possible, crewed where required.”
Chief of the Royal Swedish Navy, Rear Admiral Johan Norlén
Drawing on lessons from Ukraine’s Black Sea operations, Swedish planners note that uncrewed surface vessels can deny access, yet larger crewed warships such as the Ada-class corvettes ordered by Ukraine are essential for sea control, convoy escort, and infrastructure protection. Western naval operations in the Red Sea also underscore that modern warships with trained crews are critical to counter complex air threats.
The FDI frigates are intended to anchor this model, deploying their own uncrewed systems and forming a networked, persistent presence to help secure the Baltic region in peace, crisis, and conflict.
Swedish content aboard Luleå-class and delivery timeline
According to FMV, the Luleå-class will integrate Swedish systems including RBS15, Torpedo 47, Giraffe 1X, 57 mm and 40 mm naval guns, and Trackfire. FMV identified air defense and anti-submarine warfare as core capabilities.
Deliveries are scheduled between 2030 and 2034:
- HMS Luleå – 2030
- HMS Norrköping – 2032
- HMS Trelleborg – 2033
- HMS Halmstad – 2034
“I would like to extend a warm thank you to our team at FMV and to the French team at Naval Group. It has been an exceptionally intense negotiation process that has resulted in a strong contract enabling us to receive the first vessel delivered in 2030,” said Mikael Granholm, Director-General of FMV.
“I am delighted to be in Stockholm today to sign the contract for the delivery of four FDI frigates to Sweden, a major milestone in the cooperation between our two countries. It is an honour to put our expertise at the service of the Swedish Royal Navy’s sovereignty and naval superiority, and I would like to thank the Swedish authorities for their trust. Naval Group is already fully involved and committed to the delivery of this major project,” said Pierre Éric Pommellet, Chairman and CEO of Naval Group.
Western naval operations in the Red Sea also underscore that modern warships with trained crews are critical to counter complex air threats, a concern echoed in analyses of how attacks such as the NSA Bahrain attack exposes critical U.S. naval vulnerabilities.