WASHINGTON — As Russia continues to act aggressively in the Baltic Sea, the United States and Sweden need to focus on ways to improve military collaboration, a new analysis says.
“Sweden also seeks to acquire a new class of attack submarines, an effort that is in rough alignment with Poland\u2019s planned procurement of its new Orka-class submarine,” he writes. “Industrial cooperation between Sweden and Poland on the new class of submarines could be further enhanced by the use of particular US technologies, such as the submarine combat system, or the integration of US-made submarine-launched land attack or anti-ship missiles.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The report also promotes the idea of increased industrial cooperation between the US and Sweden in electronic warfare and cyber capabilities, improvements in Sweden\u2019s basing strategy, and co-developments on air defenses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another area of focus Nordenman recommends is improving situational awareness and intelligence gathering, something that Swedish Minister of Defense Peter Hultqvist has expressed an interest in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One potential way of increasing intelligence gathering: taking technologies from the Boeing EA-18G Growler design and importing them onto Saab\u2019s JAS-39 E\/F Gripen fighter that Sweden plans to bring online in the coming years. That suggestion may have some legs, as Saab and Boeing are already teamed to offer a design for the US Air Force\u2019s T-X trainer competition, and both companies have spoken about the benefits of working together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At a Wednesday event rolling out the report, Nordenman expanded on his report, noting there is a role for Sweden\u2019s experience with artificial intelligence inside the Pentagon\u2019s Third Offset strategy. (The author of this article moderated the event.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Johan Raeder, defense advisor for the Embassy of Sweden, added that the US needs to take the lead in developing not just technologies but also strategies in the region, noting that sometimes the US needs to “drag partners” along in order to get things done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Both men expressed skepticism that Sweden would look to join NATO in the near future, which makes the US role as coordinator among the Baltic nations that much more important, with Raeder noting that when the US plays a major role in regional exercises it gets different attention from continental European powers than when Sweden takes the lead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n