Jonas Olsson

Good to be back in the Baltics again after three decades. I spent a lot of time here in the mid-1990s documenting the Soviet destruction. Everything is in the SVT archive.

Saab, Babcock bank on Arrowhead 120 design for Sweden’s next frigate  - Breaking Defense The partnership aims to bring together “a proven, export-ready design tailored to Sweden’s needs,” Saab’s spokesperson Ulrika Langels told Breaking Defense.

Diving into the UK-Swedish offer (Arrowhead 120) for Sweden's new Luleå-class surface combatants that went public this week—and why it likely has a strong edge over France's Naval Group FDI and Spain's Navantia Alpha 4000 in the $4.5–6.7B deal. breakingdefense.com/2026/02/saab...

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I’ve got my own stack now. Welcome 🔔 open.substack.com/pub/jonasols...

Link ➡️ www.svt.se/datajournali...

🚀🚀🚀 Lots of buzz around potential Nordic nuclear weapons. Check my and Martin Hedströms interactive feature, marking its eight consecutive year tracking all nine nuclear-armed states’ warheads, delivery platforms, and progress over the past 20 years. Eye-opening data ✅

➡️svt.se/datajournalist…

STOCKHOLM — In a significant victory for South Korean defense exports, Norway selected Hanwha Aerospace’s Chunmoo multiple launch rocket system over prominent Western competitors for its ground-based long-range precision fires system.

breakingdefense.com/2026/01/norw...

And one small step - among several at the moment - towards a different nuclear posture in Europe

bsky.app/profile/jona...

STOCKHOLM — Sweden has had very early discussions with France and the United Kingdom about possible nuclear weapons cooperation, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has revealed. 
breakingdefense.com

Ny amerikansk kärnvapendoktrin i Europa – Kvartal Kärnvapenrace i Sveriges närområde.

kvartal.se/olawong/arti...

Ny amerikansk kärnvapendoktrin i Europa – Kvartal Kärnvapenrace i Sveriges närområde.

New link kvartal.se/olawong/arti...

Farewell New START – Hello Arms Race

In just 10 days, New START expires. That's the last remaining arms control agreement between the US and Russia that caps strategic nuclear weapons and allows on-site inspections.

My latest @mediehusetkvartal.bsky.social

kvartal.se/olawong/arti...

@niklasg.bsky.social

Norway to buy two extra submarines, Denmark buys new surveillance ship in Nordic maritime push  - Breaking Defense Oslo and Copenhagen have separately, and on the same day, confirmed significant additions to their naval forces, both aimed at strengthening surveillance and protection of undersea infrastructure and ...

Oslo and Copenhagen have separately, and on the same day, confirmed significant additions to their naval forces, both aimed at strengthening surveillance and protection of undersea infrastructure and strategic maritime areas in the North European waters.

breakingdefense.com/2025/12/norw...

Poland selects Sweden’s Saab A26 as future submarine  - Breaking Defense The deal for three submarines is expected to be a 10 billion Polish zloty ($2.52 billion) investment.

STOCKHOLM — The Polish government has officially chosen the Swedish offer of Saab’s next-generation A26 Blekinge-class submarines for its long-awaited Orka submarine program, in what is expected to be a 10 billion Polish zloty ($2.52 billion) investment.
breakingdefense.com/2025/11/pola...

Sweden to pick next frigate design by 'early 2026,' working on GlobalEye sale to France - Breaking Defense France's defense minister was in Stockholm today pitching Naval Group's offering.

🇸🇪 Sweden to pick partner for 4 new Luleå-class frigates (~120m, advanced AD, drones, NATO-compatible) by early 2026, DefMin Pål Jonson announces.

🇫🇷 France officially in the race, confirmed today alongside French DefMin Catherine Vautrin in Stockholm.

breakingdefense.com/2025/11/swed...

With royal push, Sweden pitches Canada on economic benefits of buying Gripen - Breaking Defense Sweden's king and queen joined the country's defense minister in visiting Canada this week as part of a broad push that included support of defense sales.

With royal push, Sweden pitches Canada on economic benefits of buying Gripen

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...

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...

news.err.ee/1609841727/n...

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...

It's never too late to join Substack! Subscribe to my newsletter on defense & security news from NATO's northern flank. Welcome aboard!

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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.

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...

World Nuclear Forces Here you can see for yourself how the arsenals of nuclear powers have changed. During the Cold War, there were about 70,000 nuclear weapons in the world. Since then the number has declined year by yea...

Pavel… you can have a look at my short documentary (7 min) made in 2019 about the Swedish Cold War nuclear weapons program. There you have facts that you won’t find at Wiki…. Just scroll down my interactive nuclear story and you will find the documentary in English… www.svt.se/datajournali...

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...

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...

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.

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...

Russian threat pushes Sweden to additional $2.9 billion defense spending pledge for 2026 - Breaking Defense Planned investment in high-profile procurements for 2026 includes air defence systems, rocket artillery, ammunition and combat vehicles for the Swedish Army, new surface combat vessels for Marines and...

breakingdefense.com/2025/09/russ...

🇸🇪 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...

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).

Nordic countries, Canada signal support for Ukraine security guarantees - Breaking Defense In a joint statement, the countries said they are "ready to play an active role" to support security guarantees, though details have been scarce.

breakingdefense.com/2025/08/nord...