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16 Sep 25. Sweden raises defence budget by 18% for 2026. The increased funds will be spent on acquiring new air defence systems, vessels, vehicles and aircraft, among other assets. The Swedish Government has unveiled plans to significantly increase its defence budget in the 2026 budget bill, allocating an additional Skr26.6bn ($2.87bn). This funding surge represents an 18% hike from 2025. It is the largest boost to the nation’s defence capabilities since the Cold War era, the country’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) said. Projections based on current gross domestic product (GDP) forecasts and the proposed allocations in the Budget Bill indicate that defence spending will rise to 2.8% of GDP in 2026, aligning with NATO’s benchmark.
By 2028, this figure is expected to reach 3.1% of GDP. Specifically, the government proposes a Skr10bn rise for military defence. Within this sector, appropriation 1.3 will see incremental increases over three years: Skr4.7bn in 2026, Skr6.7bn in 2027 and Skr7.5bn in 2028. The Swedish Army will use the increased funds to procure air defence systems, rocket artillery, ammunition and combat vehicles. The Marines are planning investments in new surface combat vessels and combat boats, while the Air Force aims to enhance its fleet with tactical transport aircraft and extended-range combat capabilities.
The MoD statement reads: “The investments bolster Sweden’s military, civilian and economic strength. The substantially increased defence budget, investments in innovation and expansion of Sweden’s defence industry also create opportunities for technological advancement that benefit the entire country.
“This also creates thousands of employment opportunities, having already accounted for 6,000 new defence industry jobs in 2024.”
Recently, the Swedish Government launched its 20th package of military aid to Ukraine, valued at approximately Skr9.2bn. The nation also recently invited NATO to establish a logistics headquarters within its territory. (Source: army-technology.com)
15 Sep 25. Kosovo-US: Suspension of strategic dialogue underscores ongoing regional ethnic tensions. On 14 September, the US indefinitely suspended its planned strategic dialogue with Kosovo. The US embassy in Pristina cited ‘concerns about the caretaker government actions that have increased tensions and instability’. The US has been the major international supporter of Kosovo, whose independence remains unrecognised by five EU member states. In recent years, tensions between the US and Kosovo have increased due to Kosovo’s actions to establish sovereignty in majority ethnic-Serb North Kosovo, without co‑ordinating with the US. Since the February parliamentary elections, Kosovo has been unable to fully constitute its Parliament and form a government. The trigger for suspending the strategic dialogue was likely the Parliament’s refusal to appoint a deputy speaker from the largest ethnic-Serb party Srpska Lista, contrary to the Kosovar Constitution. The suspension of the US-Kosovo dialogue underscores that progress in the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue is highly unlikely in the coming months. We assess that it will also negatively impact the US’ diplomatic, security and economic support for Kosovo, thereby increasing governance risks in Kosovo. (Source: Sibylline)
15 Sep 25. UK fighter jets to join NATO operation to bolster European security. The UK will contribute Typhoons to NATO’s Eastern Sentry mission, after Russian drones violated Polish airspace. British fighter jets will fly air defence missions over Poland to counter aerial threats from Russia, including drones, as part of NATO’s Eastern Sentry mission. Royal Air Force Typhoons will join allied forces, including from Denmark, France, and Germany, to bolster NATO’s defence and deterrence along its eastern flank. This comes days after a reckless and dangerous incursion by Russian drones into Poland’s sovereign airspace – the most significant violation of NATO airspace by President Putin to date – and a further breach of Romanian airspace by a Russian drone over the weekend. The Typhoons will operate out of RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire and are expected to start flying missions over Poland in the coming days. They will be supported by RAF Voyager air-to-air refuelling aircraft from RAF Brize Norton. The commitment follows a meeting of the North Atlantic Council on Wednesday 10 September where the UK and allies discussed the situation following Poland’s request for consultations under Article 4 of the Washington Treaty. Allies expressed full solidarity with Poland. This new era of threat – exemplified by Russia’s intensifying airspace violations – requires a new era for Defence, and this Government is delivering the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War, to 2.6% of GDP by April 2027. The UK’s national security – the foundation of the Government’s Plan for Change – starts with an unwavering commitment to NATO and Euro-Atlantic security. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
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Founded in 1987, Exensor Technology is a world leading supplier of Networked Unattended Ground Sensor (UGS) Systems providing tailored sensor solutions to customers all over the world. From our Headquarters in Lund Sweden, our centre of expertise in Network Communications at Communications Research Lab in Kalmar Sweden and our Production site outside of Basingstoke UK, we design, develop and produce latest state of the art rugged UGS solutions at the highest quality to meet the most stringent demands of our customers. Our systems are in operation and used in a wide number of Military as well as Homeland Security applications worldwide. The modular nature of the system ensures any external sensor can be integrated, providing the user with a fully meshed “silent” network capable of self-healing. Exensor Technology will continue to lead the field in UGS technology, provide our customers with excellent customer service and a bespoke package able to meet every need.
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