Swedish defense minister: ELSA long-range strike development driven by Ukraine lessons

STOCKHOLM — Sweden is “eager to participate” in the new European Long Range Strike Approach (ELSA) program, with Defense Minister Pål Jonson telling Breaking Defense he sees an industrial role for companies like Saab and MBDA in the new effort.

“The companies have to speak for themselves. But of course, Saab has capabilities. So that could certainly be an option. Of course, I’d see strong participation from MBDA also.” Jonson said on a call from Qatar, where he was visiting this week.

The ELSA project was initiated in July 2024 by France, Germany, Italy, and Poland, with the goal of developing a ground-launched cruise missile with a range of 1,000 to 2,000 kilometers. This range for ground launched missiles was previously banned by the US and Russia by the Cold War INF Treaty, which imploded in 2019, when both countries left the agreement.

A few months later, the UK announced it would also have a role in the project, and at the Oct. 18 NATO defense ministers meeting, Jonson signed a letter of intent for Sweden to join the ELSA coalition.

Sweden is not currently prioritizing ground-based strike options, but Jonson said that the ELSA effort could have applicability in the aerial and naval domains, which are more a focus for Stockholm.

“The missile will probably be compatible with all the alliance’s aircraft, all the surface vessels that have cruise missile launch capability, and simple launch trucks on land,” said William Alberque, former director of arms control at NATO and former director of strategy and technology at IISS.

Saab is developing the next generation of corvettes (the Luleå class), fighter jets (Jas Gripen E), and the next generation of submarines (A26). Jonson said that the new subs will not have a long-range strike capability, but that Stockholm wants it for their other modernizing assets.

“We are developing long-range strike capabilities, predominantly for the air force,” Jonson said of Sweden’s focus. “We are also adopting more long-range strike capabilities for our navy, predominantly for our corvettes.”

Defensive Gaps

Strategically, the ELSA effort is “is very clearly coming out of the lessons learned from Russia’s war on Ukraine, and the realization that there are huge gaps in the long-range strike capability of the NATO alliance,” Alberque said.

Jonson did not shy away from that idea, telling Breaking Defense that “The lesson learned from the war in Ukraine is that long-range strike capabilities are becoming increasingly important on the battlefield, and of course, also with stronger air defense capabilities.”

Sweden plans to spend 2,4 percent of its GDP next year and 2.6 percent in 2028, which is above NATO’s minimum defense spending target. Jonson said it’s too early to give a timeline when ELSA can be operative.

“We joined this project a few weeks ago. Now our ambition is deepened interaction between our government agencies, but also the industry as well, as it depends on our partners and the other countries.”

Could it be ready within five years?

“I don’t exclude that possibility,” he said.

GlobalEye For Qatar?

Jonson was in the Middle East to meet with counterpart Khalid bin Mohamed Al Attiyah. Qatar is a NATO partner, and the visit serves as a follow-up to the September visit to Stockholm by Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani.

Jonson told Breaking Defense that the two men had top-level discussions about enhanced situational awareness in air and at sea.

“They’re interested in enhanced situational awareness, both in the aerial domain and on the seas,” the Swedish official said, noting that Saab produces an “agile platform in GlobalEye” that would meet the requirement. 

However, Jonson said “it was a more general discussion. discussions about Qatar needs in this regard.”

In September Saab delivered a Global Eye to the United Arab Emirates. The recent delivery is the fifth in the series of five Global Eye Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft delivered to the UAE since 2020.