Response to interpellation 2023/24:321 on the future home base for the country's radar reconnaissance aircraft
Translated from Swedish by AI; the translation may contain errors. The Swedish text is the original.
Summary AI, written in advance
The debate concerned the future basing of the country's radar reconnaissance aircraft. M argues that the Armed Forces itself will determine the basing location based on what best contributes to the operational capability 1 2 3. M emphasizes that the politicians are responsible for the overall goals and budget resources 4. S argues that Linköping is an advantageous location as competence, infrastructure, and cooperation with Saab already exist there 5 6. S also emphasizes the importance of weighing economic factors, redundancy, and competence supply in the decision 5 6. S requests that the workers' perspective be included in the investigation 5 7.
Written by AI in advance and may contain errors. The numbers lead to the speech a statement builds on; check against the text below.
Försvarsministern Pål Jonson (M)
Madam Speaker! Johan Andersson has asked me if I am considering any new location for the placement of the future radar surveillance aircraft. Johan Andersson has also asked me on what grounds I will make the upcoming placement decision - if it is purely military-strategic or if there are other reasons that will be weighed in the decision-making process.
I note that the questions are well in line with the two questions regarding the future basing location of the radar surveillance aircraft that Johan Andersson and I had an interpellation debate about here in the chamber earlier.
The main task of the Armed Forces is to defend Sweden against armed conflict. The Armed Forces shall organize war units and take the other preparations necessary to be able to fulfill the authority's main task.
It is the Riksdag and the government that, at an overall level, decide on the Defense Forces' war and basic organization. It is based on these decisions that the Defense Forces assess and determine where the future radar reconnaissance aviation shall be based. The Defense Forces will determine the future basing location of the radar reconnaissance aviation based on how the radar reconnaissance aviation best contributes to the Defense Forces' operational capability.
Johan Andersson (S)
Madam Speaker! Thank you, Minister, for the answer! As the Minister well understands, I am not so very satisfied with the answer, but I realize that I perhaps won't get much more than that.
The question of the future location of radar surveillance systems and radar surveillance aircraft has been discussed for nearly two years. Various alternatives have been discussed, but I will not go into them because these are issues that are partly subject to secrecy.
Today, this is located in Linköping, and it has been for a number of years. There, a unit has been built up that functions very well. They have good competence, and they have been able to recruit the specialists needed for this when it comes to both military aircraft technicians, pilots, and other competence. There are also great advantages because much of this is developed in connection with Saab in Linköping. In addition, there is a well-established cooperation. Furthermore, most of the infrastructure connected to this exists today when it comes to sites and other parts.
The defense faces major transitions ahead in order to be able to build a stronger defense capability. In addition, we have a membership in Nato that hopefully stands at the door and waits for us when the decision comes.
There will certainly be many objects that we need to finance and that are to be financed. We await the Defense Committee's conclusion, which will come in April. There will also certainly be a lot of new objects coming; it is probably no exaggeration to say that.
I urge the Minister of Defence to include these parts in the ongoing process. The localization has, as stated, been investigated for nearly two years, so there are well-substantiated facts.
I know that it is a strategic decision that must be made, which is of course very important. It is also about the redundancy and the economy linked to the investments that have already been made. It is about the supply of competence, where we today have problems in several areas of society, not least within the defense's operations.
I will most likely return to the Minister for Defence on the issue at further occasions if a good solution is not found.
Försvarsministern Pål Jonson (M)
Madam Speaker! Let me come straight to the heart of the matter. Johan Andersson is therefore asking me about an ongoing investigation, an internal Defence investigation, regarding the localization of the airborne sensor or the aircraft radar sensor.
This will most likely not become an issue that will be subject to either government or parliamentary decisions, but it will be an internal Swedish Armed Forces matter. We will not have the authority to decide the issue linked to localization, but it is most likely the Swedish Armed Forces that will decide this based on what is best for the operational capability - this is said only to establish the approach which also explains the answer to the interpellation.
On an overall level, I appreciate Johan Andersson's commitment to these issues. There are reasons for the commitment if one comes from Östergötland, where there is a strong aerospace technical competence. As we have discussed, this is a world-leading cluster, not least linked to Saab but also to very leading research and development. There is a cooperation between authorities, companies, and academia that is exemplary.
I also appreciate Johan Andersson's reference to the Defense Commission, which will deliver its final report during the spring. It will also be important for the design of the future defense. I usually say that we should nurture the Defense Commission in both form and content, as it is the government's organ to find a consensus with the opposition regarding the design of the long-term security and defense policy. The Defense Commission's report will therefore be important on an overall level.
Johan Andersson knows that we have an arrangement where the Riksdag decides on an overarching level regarding the war organization, that is, which units we shall have, the basic organization, and the organizational units. But under this, the Armed Forces have a relatively large discretion when it comes to being able to determine where sub-components of this should be located. I can think that it is good that the Armed Forces have this discretion when it comes to assessing, not least, the military-strategic considerations in these issues.
Johan Andersson (S)
Madam Speaker! I can agree with much of what the Minister for Defence says when it comes to decision-making procedures and other matters. At the same time, we have a political responsibility to ensure that the best and strongest capability is obtained. We also have a great economic responsibility.
My argument linked to the location that applies today, that is, Linköping, is that the competence is on site. The infrastructure is on site, and much has been done. One has, just as the Minister for Defence himself points out, an aerospace cooperation that we can certainly develop even further in Linköping in the future. We also see that it is becoming an ever larger cluster linked to these parts, which is particularly important in our upcoming NATO membership. There are therefore many good factors with this location.
Madam Speaker! I feel that I may not get much more of an answer from the Minister for Defence at this stage. But just as the Minister for Defence himself stated, I will return to the issue in several contexts.
I am well aware of the division of responsibility between politics and the Armed Forces. At the same time, a considerable number of decisions have been made over the years where other considerations have also been weighed in - right or wrong, but that is how it has been. It is important that one looks at the whole part, especially at the competence supply and the other things I have pointed out.
Försvarsministern Pål Jonson (M)
Madam Speaker! The government naturally has an overarching responsibility to ensure that there is a balance between goals and means, that is to say, that the decisions we make are also accompanied by necessary budget resources. We also have a broad consensus regarding the increased defense budget that this Riksdag has decided upon, which is at 27 billion this year. It may be needed after decades of underfunding of the defense.
Let me then address the second part, which considerations may underlie the Armed Forces' decision in the matter. I have heard, among other things, regarding when the investigation can be completed – I can also see the need to act promptly. The signals I have received from the Armed Forces are that they have expanded the investigation somewhat during the past year. Not least, they have consulted with the employees and their organizations, which is in line with what Johan Andersson requests, linked to being able to secure the important supply of competence.
Other criteria that I believe will be weighed in the decision are military-strategic considerations. It could be different types of security of supply, which airports are available and their opening hours, and so on. From what I have heard, the investigation has also been revisited, not least to be able to ensure that the workers' perspectives are weighed into the final investigation result, which will most likely also become the Armed Forces' decision.
Let me also, Madam Speaker, mention something related to the direction and time perspective, something I have also inquired about. Currently, we use the airborne sensor ASC 890. It departs from Malmen, and as I understand it, it will also continue to be used at Malmen regardless of this. The question is what happens at the decision point where the next step is to be taken and move from ASC 890 to the platform called Global Eye. That lies a few years further into the future, but it must be weighed in.
I also want to emphasize that this platform is very competent. I dare to assert that we are almost world-leading in Sweden when it comes to sensors and, in part, also electronic warfare capability. This is a platform that has the ability to see deep and contribute to both maritime situational awareness and air situational awareness. The function itself is therefore very important for the Armed Forces, and thus naturally also that one secures a localization that ensures a high operational effect so that we get maximum defense benefit from the platform.
Johan Andersson (S)
Madam Speaker! Thank you, the Minister for Defence, for some further clarification linked to the ongoing process regarding the localization. That feels very good. Part of this, even though I did not raise it in the interpellation, is precisely the criticism that one must involve one's staff in the work. Therefore, this with the trade union organizations is very good. Perhaps it should have been done that way from the beginning. Regardless of where this is to be localized, it is essential that one has the competence if this is to be developed. The Minister for Defence shares that view, as I interpret it.
As I said initially, I will return to the question. I will follow it closely, for several reasons. I believe we have a great responsibility as members of Parliament to manage the economic resources we have to distribute, and there are very large needs in society in general. Even though there is today a large political acceptance, which I also stand behind, to expand the defense and make the investments that are necessary for the future, it is a matter of doing it in a responsible manner. Therefore, I will follow the question to see where the localization ends up.
The Minister for Defence and I will certainly meet in somewhat different contexts when it comes to this. But as I said, I thank you for the answer so far.
Försvarsministern Pål Jonson (M)
Madam Speaker! I thank Johan Andersson both for the interpellation and for the commitment to a stronger defense. I know, as I have said, that there is strong competence in the area in the constituency Johan Andersson comes from, and that is good. It is also part of our collective defense capability that we have a strong defense industry, and in that regard, Östergötland is leading within Sweden. One experience from the war in Ukraine is precisely that a strong defense industrial base is part of our collective defense capability.
Just to summarize: In all likelihood, this will be a decision that the Armed Forces takes. It will be within the Armed Forces' discretion to make that decision. An investigation is currently underway which I can neither nor should anticipate; I want to emphasize that.
With that said, Madam Speaker, I thank you again for the interpellation and for Johan Andersson's commitment to the issue.
Source: The Swedish Parliament. The speeches come from the open data of the Riksdag, translated into English by AI, which may contain errors.