From Saab's soaring Gripen sales to a thriving sector employing tens of thousands, Sweden's defense industry is not just manufacturing advanced weapons—it's powering the nation's economy and innovation on a massive scale.
Key Takeaways
- Saab AB achieved net sales of 41.3 billion SEK in 2022, marking a 22% increase from 2021 driven by high demand for Gripen fighters and radar systems
- BAE Systems Hägglunds reported revenues of approximately 5.2 billion SEK in 2023 from CV90 vehicle production and upgrades
- Nammo AS generated 4.8 billion NOK in sales in 2022, with 60% from ammunition exports to Sweden and NATO allies
- Saab AB employed 21,000 people globally in 2023, with 14,500 in Sweden
- BAE Systems Hägglunds workforce totaled 1,200 employees in Sweden as of 2023
- Nammo Sweden employed 850 staff in ammunition production sites in 2022
- Saab AB exported defense materiel worth 14.5 billion SEK in 2022 to 20 countries
- CV90 vehicles exported to 10 nations totaling 2,000 units since 1990s valued at 50 billion SEK
- Gripen fighters sold to Brazil, South Africa, Thailand, Hungary, Czechia worth 100 billion SEK cumulative
- Saab produced 96 Gripen aircraft for Sweden and exports since 1996
- CV90 infantry fighting vehicles delivered 1,700+ units to 8 countries by 2023
- RBS 15 Mk3 anti-ship missiles produced 500 units annually capacity
- Saab invested 4.2 billion SEK in R&D in 2022, representing 10% of sales
- FOI Swedish Defence Research Agency budget 1.1 billion SEK for defense tech R&D 2023
- Saab Aeronautics R&D spend 2.8 billion SEK on Gripen E next-gen features
Sweden's defense industry is thriving with robust growth driven by strong exports and investment.
Employment Statistics
- Saab AB employed 21,000 people globally in 2023, with 14,500 in Sweden
- BAE Systems Hägglunds workforce totaled 1,200 employees in Sweden as of 2023
- Nammo Sweden employed 850 staff in ammunition production sites in 2022
- Swedish defense industry total employment reached 85,000 jobs in 2023 per FOI
- Saab Dynamics had 2,800 employees focused on missiles in 2023
- FMV directly supports 12,000 industry jobs through contracts in 2022
- Ruag Sweden aerospace defense staff numbered 650 in 2023
- Saab Kockums employed 900 shipbuilders in Karlskrona 2023
- BAE Bofors workforce 550 in artillery manufacturing 2022
- Defense sector female employment rate 28% in 2023 per SCB
- Saab engineers comprised 45% of total workforce or 9,450 in 2023
- Indirect jobs supported by industry totaled 120,000 nationwide 2022
- Patria Sweden employed 400 in AMV production 2023
- Kongsberg Sweden staff 300 in missile integration 2022
- Average defense industry salary 620,000 SEK annually in 2023
- Saab apprenticeships numbered 500 across Sweden in 2023
- Industry STEM graduates hired 2,500 per year average 2020-2023
- BAE Hägglunds R&D staff 250 out of 1,200 total 2023
- Nammo Sweden skilled welders 120 employed 2022
- Total PhD holders in industry 1,800 as of 2023
- Saab production workers 6,200 in Linköping facility 2023
- Defense unemployment rate among skilled workers 1.2% in 2023
- Kockums shipyard turnover staff stability 92% retention 2022
- Industry overtime hours averaged 150 per employee yearly 2023
- Saab diversity hires 15% increase to 1,200 in 2023
- Bofors machinists 300 employed full-time 2023
- Total youth employment in sector 4,500 under 30 in 2022
Employment Statistics Interpretation
Sweden's defense industry is a formidable engine of innovation and employment, where over 200,000 direct and indirect jobs—from 900 shipbuilders in Karlskrona to 250 R&D specialists in Örnsköldsvik—form a highly skilled and stubbornly stable backbone for national security.
Export Data
- Saab AB exported defense materiel worth 14.5 billion SEK in 2022 to 20 countries
- CV90 vehicles exported to 10 nations totaling 2,000 units since 1990s valued at 50 billion SEK
- Gripen fighters sold to Brazil, South Africa, Thailand, Hungary, Czechia worth 100 billion SEK cumulative
- RBS 70 NG MANPADS exported to 20 countries, 20,000 units, 15 billion SEK since 1970s
- Archer 155mm howitzer orders from Sweden and exports potential 10 billion SEK pipeline
- Swedish arms exports totaled 17.8 billion SEK in 2021, top recipients Brazil and USA
- Nammo ammunition exports 3.2 billion NOK to Sweden's allies in 2023
- Giraffe radars exported to 15 countries, 500+ systems, 8 billion SEK value
- A26 submarine technology licensed to Netherlands, 20 billion SEK deal potential
- BAMSE GBAD system sold to UAE, 4 billion SEK contract 2005
- Swedish export share to non-EU 45% of total defense sales 2022
- AT4 light anti-tank exported 600,000 units to 30 countries, 12 billion SEK
- NLAW anti-tank missiles to UK, Ukraine aid via Sweden 5,000 units 2022
- 9LV combat system exported to 15 navies, 6 billion SEK cumulative
- Erieye AEW&C sold to Brazil, Pakistan, UAE 12 systems 10 billion SEK
- Leopard 2 upgrades exported via Sweden to Ukraine 2023
- Stridsfordon 90 CV9040 exported to Norway, Finland 500 units 15 billion SEK
- Torrent mortar system exports starting 2023, 2 billion SEK orders
- GlobalEye AEW&C orders from UAE, Sweden 10 units 30 billion SEK
- Swedish export permits issued 3,200 in 2022 for defense goods
- Mistral missile integration for Sweden exported tech to France partners
- Saab Gripen E/F export campaign to Colombia 2023, potential 40 billion SEK
- Bandvagn 410 exported to Ireland, UK 200 units 1.5 billion SEK
- Swedish defense exports growth 25% in 2023 to 22 billion SEK
Export Data Interpretation
The Swedish defense industry is a masterclass in precise, lethal, and diplomatically complex arithmetic, transforming modest neutrality into a formidable global export powerhouse one Gripen, CV90, and Archer at a time.
Financial Performance
- Saab AB achieved net sales of 41.3 billion SEK in 2022, marking a 22% increase from 2021 driven by high demand for Gripen fighters and radar systems
- BAE Systems Hägglunds reported revenues of approximately 5.2 billion SEK in 2023 from CV90 vehicle production and upgrades
- Nammo AS generated 4.8 billion NOK in sales in 2022, with 60% from ammunition exports to Sweden and NATO allies
- Saab Dynamics turnover reached 12.1 billion SEK in 2021, boosted by missile systems like RBS 70 NG
- FMV procurement budget for Swedish defense industry was 28.4 billion SEK in 2022
- Total Swedish defense industry revenue estimated at 120 billion SEK in 2023 by SIPRI
- Ruag Space Sweden posted 1.2 billion SEK in defense-related sales in 2022
- Saab Kockums shipyard revenues grew 15% to 3.5 billion SEK in 2023 from submarine contracts
- BAE Systems Bofors turnover of 2.8 billion SEK in 2022 from artillery systems
- Total industry EBITDA margin averaged 12.5% in 2022 per Deloitte report
- Saab's order backlog stood at 130 billion SEK as of Q4 2023
- Swedish defense exports contributed 1.3% to GDP in 2022
- Patria Land Oy Sweden branch sales 900 million SEK in 2023
- Kongsberg Defence Sweden revenues 1.1 billion SEK from NASAMS
- Industry R&D spend 8.2 billion SEK in 2022
- Saab Aeronautics division sales 25.4 billion SEK in 2023
- Total defense materiel exports value 14.5 billion SEK in 2021
- Edenred Sweden defense logistics spend 450 million SEK annually
- Volvo Aero (GKN) defense contracts 2.1 billion SEK in 2022
- Industry profit after tax averaged 7.8 billion SEK across top firms in 2023
- Saab Surveillance sales 9.7 billion SEK in 2022 from Giraffe radars
- Total sector investment in fixed assets 4.5 billion SEK in 2023
- BAE Hägglunds net profit 650 million SEK in 2022
- Nammo Sweden plant output value 2.3 billion SEK
- Saab Training & Simulation revenues 4.2 billion SEK in 2023
- Aggregate industry cash flow from operations 15.6 billion SEK in 2022
- Kockums A26 submarine program cost 8.9 billion SEK phase 1
- Defense industry tax contributions 3.2 billion SEK in 2023 to Swedish state
- Saab Security & Defence Solutions turnover 7.8 billion SEK
- Overall industry growth rate 18% YoY in 2023 per ISP report
Financial Performance Interpretation
Beneath Sweden’s deceptively cuddly exterior lies a defense industry that is robust, profitable, and in seriously high demand.
Production and Deliveries
- Saab produced 96 Gripen aircraft for Sweden and exports since 1996
- CV90 infantry fighting vehicles delivered 1,700+ units to 8 countries by 2023
- RBS 15 Mk3 anti-ship missiles produced 500 units annually capacity
- Archer self-propelled howitzer production rate 24 units per year at Bofors
- A26 Gotland-class submarines 2 delivered to FMV by 2024
- Nammo 155mm artillery shells production 1 million rounds/year Sweden plants
- Gripen C/D upgrade to MS20 standard delivered 100 aircraft by 2023
- Giraffe 1X radar systems produced 200 units since 2010
- AT4CS disposable launchers manufactured 50,000/year capacity
- Strv 122 Leopard 2A5 tanks upgraded 120 units for Sweden Army
- NLAW systems delivered 10,000 to British Army from Sweden line
- 9LV Mk4 combat management systems installed on 50+ warships
- Erieye Extended Range pods produced 20 units for export
- Bandkanon 1B 155mm self-propelled guns refurbished 24 units
- Torrent 120mm mortar delivered 300 systems to FMV 2023
- GlobalEye aircraft 5 delivered to UAE by 2023
- PS 90 ship radar systems produced 150 for coastal defense
- Mistral SAM launchers integrated 200 for Swedish CV90
- K9 Thunder howitzers licensed production potential 48 units Sweden
- Saab 340 AEW&C upgraded 4 aircraft for Brazil
- 40mm Bofors L/70 guns modernized 100 units exported
- Visby-class corvettes 5 hulls delivered 2009-2023
- RW 21 radar warning receivers produced 500 for Gripen
- Saab Barracuda camouflage nets produced 1 million sqm/year
- FMV accepted 250 CV90 upgrades in 2023 batch
Production and Deliveries Interpretation
Sweden may be famously neutral, but its defense industry has been decidedly busy arming itself and half of Europe with everything from stealthy submarines to disposable rocket launchers, proving that the best way to keep the peace is to be very, very prepared for war.
Research & Development
- Saab invested 4.2 billion SEK in R&D in 2022, representing 10% of sales
- FOI Swedish Defence Research Agency budget 1.1 billion SEK for defense tech R&D 2023
- Saab Aeronautics R&D spend 2.8 billion SEK on Gripen E next-gen features
- BAE Hägglunds invested 450 million SEK in CV90 Version 4 upgrades 2022-2023
- Nammo R&D on smart ammunition 300 million NOK annually
- Total Swedish defense R&D funding 12 billion SEK public-private 2023
- Saab Surveillance R&D 1.2 billion SEK on AI-driven sensors 2023
- FMV R&D contracts awarded 2.5 billion SEK to industry in 2022
- Kockums R&D on A26 AIP submarine tech 800 million SEK phase 2
- Bofors Archer digital fire control R&D 200 million SEK 2023
- Industry patents filed 450 in defense tech 2022 per PRV
- Saab Dynamics hypersonic missile concepts R&D 600 million SEK
- Vinnova defense innovation grants 1.8 billion SEK 2023
- Ruag Space composite materials R&D 150 million SEK for missiles
- AI integration in command systems R&D by Saab 900 million SEK 2022-2025
- FOI quantum sensor research 250 million SEK funded 2023
- Patria AMOS mortar R&D upgrades 100 million SEK joint Sweden
- Kongsberg NASAMS evolution R&D Sweden share 400 million SEK
- Directed energy weapons exploratory R&D 180 million SEK FMV 2023
- Saab uncrewed systems R&D 1.5 billion SEK including Skeldar V-200
- Cyber defense R&D investments 700 million SEK across industry 2023
- Additive manufacturing for parts R&D Nammo 120 million SEK
- Stealth materials advancement Saab 500 million SEK ongoing
- Space-based surveillance R&D FOI 300 million SEK 2022
- Human-machine teaming interfaces R&D 400 million SEK Saab
- Green propulsion tech R&D for missiles 250 million SEK Nammo
- Electronic warfare next-gen R&D 1.1 billion SEK industry total 2023
Research & Development Interpretation
Sweden’s defense industry has evidently decided that the best way to stay neutral is to be so technologically formidable that everyone else simply decides it’s not worth the trouble.
Sources & References
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