Sweden, Germany sign air defence cooperation plan

Sweden and Germany signed a letter of intent to deepen cooperation on air defence, Swedish Defence Minister Pal Jonson said on July 8 at a news conference in Ankara.

Jonson said he and German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius signed the document during the NATO summit in the Turkish capital. He said the countries were looking at whether they could expand cooperation on unmanned systems.

Jonson also said Germany and other countries had shown interest in Saab's Gripen fighter jet system. He said Sweden and France were the only two European countries able to produce and develop new fighter aircraft.

In late June, Ukraine signed a contract with Sweden to acquire 16 Gripen E fighter jets. Sweden had earlier said it would donate 16 older Gripen C/D models to Ukraine after Kyiv announced plans to buy up to 20 Gripen E jets.