Jonas Olsson
@jonasolsson.bsky.social
Scandinavia Correspondent BreakingDefense.com • Contributor WarshipsIFR.com & Kvartal.se • 30+ yrs ex-SVT journalist covering Nordic defence & NATO shifts
Contact ➡️ linktr.ee/jonasolsson
Contact ➡️ linktr.ee/jonasolsson
Pinned
Jonas Olsson
@jonasolsson.bsky.social
· Jun 21
Explore the world’s nuclear forces in 2025! ~2,100 warheads are on high alert.
SVT’s interactive story, now in its 7th year, tracks warheads, their carriers, & modernization in 9 nuclear-armed states:
🇷🇺🇺🇸🇨🇳🇫🇷🇬🇧🇵🇰🇮🇳🇮🇱🇰🇵
➡️ www.svt.se/datajournali...
SVT’s interactive story, now in its 7th year, tracks warheads, their carriers, & modernization in 9 nuclear-armed states:
🇷🇺🇺🇸🇨🇳🇫🇷🇬🇧🇵🇰🇮🇳🇮🇱🇰🇵
➡️ www.svt.se/datajournali...
STOCKHOLM — As a NATO anti-submarine warfare exercise kicked off this week, top commanders said that with Sweden in the alliance, the Baltic Sea is now a “lake full of NATO submarines” under unified command. breakingdefense.com/2025/11/with...
With Sweden, Baltic Sea now a ‘lake full of NATO submarines’ - Breaking Defense
Sweden’s entry into NATO has dramatically shifted the formerly non-military aligned nation’s naval doctrine: no longer just defending its own shores, the Swedish navy now guards the alliance’s eastern...
breakingdefense.com
November 11, 2025 at 11:29 PM
STOCKHOLM — As a NATO anti-submarine warfare exercise kicked off this week, top commanders said that with Sweden in the alliance, the Baltic Sea is now a “lake full of NATO submarines” under unified command. breakingdefense.com/2025/11/with...
Reposted by Jonas Olsson
It's never too late to join Substack! Subscribe to my newsletter on defense & security news from NATO's northern flank. Welcome aboard!
substack.com/profile/1417...
substack.com/profile/1417...
Jonas Olsson (@jonasolsson)
Sweden to Launch New Civilian Foreign Intelligence Agency by 2027
STOCKHOLM — The Swedish government today announced plans to establish a new civilian foreign intelligence service, set to begin oper...
substack.com
October 27, 2025 at 4:14 PM
It's never too late to join Substack! Subscribe to my newsletter on defense & security news from NATO's northern flank. Welcome aboard!
substack.com/profile/1417...
substack.com/profile/1417...
COPENHAGEN — Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson today signed a letter of intent laying the groundwork for Kyiv to make a massive purchase of anywhere from 100 to 150 Gripen E fighter jets from Swedih Saab. breakingdefense.com/2025/10/ukra...
Ukraine moves to buy scores of Saab Gripen fighters from Sweden - Breaking Defense
"This is the beginning of a long journey, but it takes us one step closer to a major export deal for Saab and Sweden and Ukraine," the Swedish prime minister said.
breakingdefense.com
October 22, 2025 at 6:26 PM
COPENHAGEN — Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson today signed a letter of intent laying the groundwork for Kyiv to make a massive purchase of anywhere from 100 to 150 Gripen E fighter jets from Swedih Saab. breakingdefense.com/2025/10/ukra...
STOCKHOLM — Sweden will participate in NATO’s annual nuclear military exercise for the first time, a major step for a nation that avoided military alliance for 200 years and has avoided nuclear entanglements entirely.
breakingdefense.com/2025/10/swed...
breakingdefense.com/2025/10/swed...
Sweden comes out of its nuclear closet, sending Gripens to NATO’s Steadfast Noon drill - Breaking Defense
“In an increasingly uncertain world, NATO needs a credible nuclear capability to prevent attacks against the Alliance. Steadfast Noon contributes to ensuring this,” Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said...
breakingdefense.com
October 10, 2025 at 8:25 PM
STOCKHOLM — Sweden will participate in NATO’s annual nuclear military exercise for the first time, a major step for a nation that avoided military alliance for 200 years and has avoided nuclear entanglements entirely.
breakingdefense.com/2025/10/swed...
breakingdefense.com/2025/10/swed...
Berlin revealed that it is considering Swedish defense firm Saab’s airborne early warning and control platform (AEW&C), Global Eye. France has already opted for the surveillance and command plane.
breakingdefense.com/2025/09/germ...
breakingdefense.com/2025/09/germ...
Germany and Sweden not discussing FCAS partnership, say defense ministers - Breaking Defense
"A decision must and will be made regarding whether and how FCAS will continue” said German defense minister Boris Pistorius.
breakingdefense.com
September 24, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Berlin revealed that it is considering Swedish defense firm Saab’s airborne early warning and control platform (AEW&C), Global Eye. France has already opted for the surveillance and command plane.
breakingdefense.com/2025/09/germ...
breakingdefense.com/2025/09/germ...
🇸🇪 Sweden to phase out dev aid to Myanmar by June ‘26, redirecting focus to Ukraine. Move comes as conditions worsen under Myanmar’s junta. #Sweden #Myanmar #Ukraine #ForeignAid
➡️ www.regeringen.se/pressmeddela...
➡️ www.regeringen.se/pressmeddela...
Sverige fasar ut biståndet till Myanmar
Sverige fortsätter omläggningen av biståndet för att kunna prioritera Ukraina. Regeringen fattar nu beslut om att fasa ut biståndet till Myanmar....
www.regeringen.se
September 12, 2025 at 5:48 AM
🇸🇪 Sweden to phase out dev aid to Myanmar by June ‘26, redirecting focus to Ukraine. Move comes as conditions worsen under Myanmar’s junta. #Sweden #Myanmar #Ukraine #ForeignAid
➡️ www.regeringen.se/pressmeddela...
➡️ www.regeringen.se/pressmeddela...
STOCKHOLM — Just three days after Sweden closed a $550 million deal with Bangkok for four Gripen E/F fighter jets, a high-level Peruvian delegation in search of its own more modern fighter fleet visited Stockholm to hold talks with their Swedish counterparts about Saab’s Gripen.
Sweden had ‘productive’ Gripen talks with Peru as Lima shops for new fighter fleet
https://breakingdefense.com/2025/08/sweden-had-productive-gripen-talks-with-peru-as-lima-shops-for-new-fighter-fleet/
Sweden had ‘productive’ Gripen talks with Peru as Lima shops for new fighter fleet
Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson told Breaking Defense that up to 24 airframes are on the table.
breakingdefense.com
August 28, 2025 at 4:22 PM
STOCKHOLM — Just three days after Sweden closed a $550 million deal with Bangkok for four Gripen E/F fighter jets, a high-level Peruvian delegation in search of its own more modern fighter fleet visited Stockholm to hold talks with their Swedish counterparts about Saab’s Gripen.
STOCKHOLM — Sweden and Thailand finalized an agreement today in which Bangkok will buy four Gripen E/F fighter jets from Swedish defense firm Saab, with an order value of around 5.3 billion Swedish kronor ($550 million USD).
Saab secures $550M Gripen E/F order for Thailand
https://breakingdefense.com/2025/08/saab-secures-550m-gripen-e-f-order-for-thailand/
Saab secures $550M Gripen E/F order for Thailand
The Swedish parliament, Riksdagen, has also given the government authority to enter into an agreement with Thailand on up to 12 new Gripens and additional air defense systems.
breakingdefense.com
August 25, 2025 at 7:13 PM
STOCKHOLM — Sweden and Thailand finalized an agreement today in which Bangkok will buy four Gripen E/F fighter jets from Swedish defense firm Saab, with an order value of around 5.3 billion Swedish kronor ($550 million USD).
STOCKHOLM — The foreign ministers of the Nordic nations as well as Canada today expressed strong, unified support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity amid Russia’s ongoing missile attacks on Ukraine, as well as a willingness to play a part in any future security guarantees for Kyiv.
August 19, 2025 at 7:54 PM
STOCKHOLM — The foreign ministers of the Nordic nations as well as Canada today expressed strong, unified support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity amid Russia’s ongoing missile attacks on Ukraine, as well as a willingness to play a part in any future security guarantees for Kyiv.
STOCKHOLM — The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) told Breaking Defense that a formal signing ceremony is expected to take place later this month to mark Thailand’s acquisition of additional Saab JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets.
➡️ breakingdefense.com/2025/08/swed...
➡️ breakingdefense.com/2025/08/swed...
August 6, 2025 at 4:36 PM
STOCKHOLM — The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) told Breaking Defense that a formal signing ceremony is expected to take place later this month to mark Thailand’s acquisition of additional Saab JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets.
➡️ breakingdefense.com/2025/08/swed...
➡️ breakingdefense.com/2025/08/swed...
STOCKHOLM – The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has confirmed that Saab Gripen fighter aircraft were used against Cambodia over the weekend, marking the first-known weapons launch in combat from the Swedish jet.
➡️ breakingdefense.com/2025/07/afte...
➡️ breakingdefense.com/2025/07/afte...
July 29, 2025 at 7:09 PM
STOCKHOLM – The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has confirmed that Saab Gripen fighter aircraft were used against Cambodia over the weekend, marking the first-known weapons launch in combat from the Swedish jet.
➡️ breakingdefense.com/2025/07/afte...
➡️ breakingdefense.com/2025/07/afte...
STOCKHOLM — Sweden has signed contracts worth over 5 billion Swedish kronor ($523 million) for artillery ammunition, marking its largest investment in such munitions since the 1980s.
➡️ breakingdefense.com/2025/07/swed...
➡️ breakingdefense.com/2025/07/swed...
July 8, 2025 at 3:30 PM
STOCKHOLM — Sweden has signed contracts worth over 5 billion Swedish kronor ($523 million) for artillery ammunition, marking its largest investment in such munitions since the 1980s.
➡️ breakingdefense.com/2025/07/swed...
➡️ breakingdefense.com/2025/07/swed...
Russia’s new navy vessel ‘Vice Admiral Burylychev’ launched in the Baltic Sea in July. It joins the MoD’s GUGI fleet for undersea surveillance & seabed warfare.
militarnyi.com/uk/news/rosi...
militarnyi.com/uk/news/rosi...
Росія спустила на воду нове судно для розвідки підводної інфраструктури
Росія спустила на воду нове дослідне океанографічне судно «Вице-адмирал Буриличев», яке призначене для розвідки підводних комунікацій
militarnyi.com
July 7, 2025 at 5:51 AM
Russia’s new navy vessel ‘Vice Admiral Burylychev’ launched in the Baltic Sea in July. It joins the MoD’s GUGI fleet for undersea surveillance & seabed warfare.
militarnyi.com/uk/news/rosi...
militarnyi.com/uk/news/rosi...
STOCKHOLM — Sweden has launched a major procurement to bolster air defense capabilities in the Baltic Sea region. The initiative includes medium- and short-range missile systems, radars, command infrastructure and vehicle platforms.
➡️ breakingdefense.com/2025/06/swed...
➡️ breakingdefense.com/2025/06/swed...
June 24, 2025 at 5:11 PM
STOCKHOLM — Sweden has launched a major procurement to bolster air defense capabilities in the Baltic Sea region. The initiative includes medium- and short-range missile systems, radars, command infrastructure and vehicle platforms.
➡️ breakingdefense.com/2025/06/swed...
➡️ breakingdefense.com/2025/06/swed...
Explore the world’s nuclear forces in 2025! ~2,100 warheads are on high alert.
SVT’s interactive story, now in its 7th year, tracks warheads, their carriers, & modernization in 9 nuclear-armed states:
🇷🇺🇺🇸🇨🇳🇫🇷🇬🇧🇵🇰🇮🇳🇮🇱🇰🇵
➡️ www.svt.se/datajournali...
SVT’s interactive story, now in its 7th year, tracks warheads, their carriers, & modernization in 9 nuclear-armed states:
🇷🇺🇺🇸🇨🇳🇫🇷🇬🇧🇵🇰🇮🇳🇮🇱🇰🇵
➡️ www.svt.se/datajournali...
June 21, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Explore the world’s nuclear forces in 2025! ~2,100 warheads are on high alert.
SVT’s interactive story, now in its 7th year, tracks warheads, their carriers, & modernization in 9 nuclear-armed states:
🇷🇺🇺🇸🇨🇳🇫🇷🇬🇧🇵🇰🇮🇳🇮🇱🇰🇵
➡️ www.svt.se/datajournali...
SVT’s interactive story, now in its 7th year, tracks warheads, their carriers, & modernization in 9 nuclear-armed states:
🇷🇺🇺🇸🇨🇳🇫🇷🇬🇧🇵🇰🇮🇳🇮🇱🇰🇵
➡️ www.svt.se/datajournali...
Just days before NATO is set to gather for its high-profile summit at The Hague, Sweden today revealed it would delay its goal of hitting 3.5% GDP defense spending until up to 2032 — the timeline officials said is likely to be agreed upon by NATO allies next week. breakingdefense.com/2025/06/swed...
June 19, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Just days before NATO is set to gather for its high-profile summit at The Hague, Sweden today revealed it would delay its goal of hitting 3.5% GDP defense spending until up to 2032 — the timeline officials said is likely to be agreed upon by NATO allies next week. breakingdefense.com/2025/06/swed...
STOCKHOLM — Sweden and Finland’s accession to NATO will enhance the alliance’s missile defense posture through geographical and operational depth, allowing for the deployment of more air defense systems.
breakingdefense.com/2025/06/scan...
breakingdefense.com/2025/06/scan...
June 18, 2025 at 8:29 AM
STOCKHOLM — Sweden and Finland’s accession to NATO will enhance the alliance’s missile defense posture through geographical and operational depth, allowing for the deployment of more air defense systems.
breakingdefense.com/2025/06/scan...
breakingdefense.com/2025/06/scan...
Reposted by Jonas Olsson
Swedish SVT published a fancy infographic of our global nuke arsenal data from the SIPRI Yearbook just published today. www.svt.se/datajournali...
June 16, 2025 at 8:35 AM
Swedish SVT published a fancy infographic of our global nuke arsenal data from the SIPRI Yearbook just published today. www.svt.se/datajournali...
STOCKHOLM — China has boosted its nuclear arsenal by 100 warheads in just one year, growing from an estimated 500 to over 600 warheads in 2025, according to new data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
breakingdefense.com/2025/06/chin...
breakingdefense.com/2025/06/chin...
June 15, 2025 at 10:06 PM
STOCKHOLM — China has boosted its nuclear arsenal by 100 warheads in just one year, growing from an estimated 500 to over 600 warheads in 2025, according to new data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
breakingdefense.com/2025/06/chin...
breakingdefense.com/2025/06/chin...
Visited Uppsala University for the fascinating #AlvaMyrdal2025 conference this week. Paintings of Swedish war kings gave perspective.
Stories on #nukes, #missiles, & #scandinaviadefense coming soon.
Stay tuned ⚡️⚡️⚡️
Stories on #nukes, #missiles, & #scandinaviadefense coming soon.
Stay tuned ⚡️⚡️⚡️
June 15, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Visited Uppsala University for the fascinating #AlvaMyrdal2025 conference this week. Paintings of Swedish war kings gave perspective.
Stories on #nukes, #missiles, & #scandinaviadefense coming soon.
Stay tuned ⚡️⚡️⚡️
Stories on #nukes, #missiles, & #scandinaviadefense coming soon.
Stay tuned ⚡️⚡️⚡️
The multinational air combat exercise Arctic Challenge (ACE), scheduled to take place this week in Luleå, northern Sweden, has been canceled. The U.S. Air Force will not be attending, according to public broadcaster SVT. 1/4
www.svt.se/nyheter/loka...
www.svt.se/nyheter/loka...
Flygvapnets övning i Luleå ställs in – USA hoppar av
Flygövningen ACE, som skulle ha hållits i veckan ställs in. De amerikanska deltagarna kommer inte. – De meddelade att de har andra uppgifter, säger Peter Greberg, flottiljchef på F21 i Luleå.
www.svt.se
June 3, 2025 at 10:38 AM
The multinational air combat exercise Arctic Challenge (ACE), scheduled to take place this week in Luleå, northern Sweden, has been canceled. The U.S. Air Force will not be attending, according to public broadcaster SVT. 1/4
www.svt.se/nyheter/loka...
www.svt.se/nyheter/loka...
The terror threat level in Sweden is lowered from four to three on a five-point scale.
This means a reduction from a high threat to an elevated threat, according to the Swedish Security Service (SÄPO) at a press conference on Friday.
omni.se/10-00-sapo-h...
This means a reduction from a high threat to an elevated threat, according to the Swedish Security Service (SÄPO) at a press conference on Friday.
omni.se/10-00-sapo-h...
Säpo sänker terrorhotnivån: Propaganda har mattats av
Terrorhotnivån sänks från en fyra till en trea på en femgradig skala. Det innebär en sänkning från ett högt hot till ett förhöjt hot. Det säger Säkerhetspolisen på en pressträff.
omni.se
May 23, 2025 at 8:30 AM
The terror threat level in Sweden is lowered from four to three on a five-point scale.
This means a reduction from a high threat to an elevated threat, according to the Swedish Security Service (SÄPO) at a press conference on Friday.
omni.se/10-00-sapo-h...
This means a reduction from a high threat to an elevated threat, according to the Swedish Security Service (SÄPO) at a press conference on Friday.
omni.se/10-00-sapo-h...