--- title: "Sweden Chooses Unusual French Design For Its New Frigates" description: "The security situation in Europe led Sweden to choose the in-production FDI design, but it will be packed with Swedish weapon systems. The security situation in Europe led Sweden to choose the in-production FDI design, but it will be packed with Swedish weapon systems." date: "2026-05-19" modified: "2026-05-19" authors: - name: "Thomas Newdick" job_title: "Staff Writer" link: "https://www.twz.com/authors/thomas-newdick" url: "https://www.twz.com/sea/sweden-chooses-unusual-french-design-for-its-new-frigates" categories: - "Around The Globe" - "Baltic Sea" - "Europe" - "Frigates" - "NATO" - "News & Features" - "Sea" --- # Sweden Chooses Unusual French Design For Its New Frigates ![Naval Group: We are very honoured by the choice of the Swedish Ministry of Defence to select the #FDI to provide the Royal Swedish Navy with 4 latest-generation 1st rank frigates.]() *French Navy* Sweden has chosen its future surface combatant, the *Luleå* class, [its largest in decades](), in the shape of the French [FDI frigate](). The unusual design, with its inverted bow, won out against rival warships from the United Kingdom (a vessel based on the [Type 31 frigate]()) and Spain (the all-new [ALFA 4000 frigate]()). The announcement was made today on the deck of the stealthy [*Visby* class corvette]() *Härnösand*. The *Visby* class is currently the largest surface combatant used by the Swedish Navy, but it will be dwarfed by the *Luleå* class. While the *Visby* class has a displacement of 705 tons and a length of 238 feet 6 inches, the French design has a displacement of 4,390 tons and is 400 feet 3 inches long. https://twitter.com/Swedish_Navy/status/2056666138696700249?s=20 https://twitter.com/navalgroup/status/2056793607097499866?s=20 According to [reports](), the Defense Materiel Administration (FMV), Sweden’s defense procurement organization, chose the French design primarily based on its advanced integrated combat systems and the maturity of the design. As you can read about [here](), the first example for the French Navy began sea trials in late 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtM6WSWtuL0 Thirdly, Sweden factored the speed of delivery into the equation. This last point reflects the urgency of the requirement, as the country looks to rebuild its naval power since joining NATO and against the resurgent Russian threat. While Sweden had long been looking for a next-generation warship to follow on from the [*Visby* class](), it originally envisaged a more modest design, with four air defense corvettes based on the *Visby* design. Since then, the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine and Sweden’s joining NATO have changed the security landscape dramatically. ![]() *An earlier artist’s impression of an unsuccessful, smaller Saab/Babcock offering for the *Luleå* class design. *Saab** When it first pitched its FDI frigate for the program, France had offered to supply Sweden with the first fully equipped warship in 2030, a notably bold timeline. Unlike the rival offers, Naval Group is already building the FDI warships — meaning Frégate de Défense et d’Intervention, or Defense and Intervention Frigate — at its yard in Lorient. Sweden expects to receive one vessel per year starting in 2030. Despite choosing an off-the-shelf foreign design, there will be industrial benefits for Sweden, with local defense contractors, in particular, Saab, involved in kitting out the warships. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson today heralded the selection of the new warship as “tripling the Swedish \[ground- and surface-based\] air defenses.” The frigates were always expected to focus heavily on [anti-air warfare capabilities](), something that’s of [growing interest to the Swedish Navy]() and the importance of which has been [underscored by recent conflicts](). ![Sweden's Minister of Defence Paal Jonson, Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Sweden's chief of Defence Staff and Supreme Commandant Michael Claesson deliver a press conference aboard the Visby-class corvette HMS Haernoesand in Stockholm, Sweden, on May 19, 2026. Sweden is moving forward with the French Naval Group as the armed forces prepare to acquire their largest and most expensive warships in decades. Sweden is set to purchase four FDI-type frigates. (Photo by Lars SCHRODER / TT News Agency / AFP via Getty Images) / Sweden OUT]() *Swedish Minister of Defence Pål Jonsson, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, and Swedish Chief of Defence Staff and Supreme Commandant Michael Claesson deliver a press conference aboard the *Visby* class corvette HMS *Haernoesand* in Stockholm, Sweden, on May 19, 2026. *Photo by Lars SCHRODER / TT News Agency / AFP) / Sweden OUT** For Sweden in particular, a new frigate with enhanced anti-air warfare capabilities will be better able to protect itself, other vessels, and even shore areas or islands, against threats from the air. The overwhelming numbers of crewed aircraft, drones, and missiles that Russia could potentially put up in a conflict involving Sweden have been a significant concern even before the country joined NATO. The *Luleå* class will swap out some of the original French combat systems found in the baseline FDI frigate and replace these with locally made equipment. However, for its critical air defense role, Swedish Minister of Defence Pål Jonsson confirmed that the *Luleå* class will be armed with two types of missiles from the pan-European MBDA. The first of these is the Aster 30, which, [as we have described in the past](), is the primary anti-air weapon of the French FDI. In its baseline form, the FDI hull can accommodate 16 Aster missiles in a pair of eight-cell launchers — later vessels will be able to carry 32 by doubling the number of launchers. ![]() *A computer-generated image of an Aster 30 launch from the FDI frigate *Amiral Cabanier*. *French Navy** The Aster 30 is able to engage targets at more than 75 miles. [Recent improvements]() to the Aster 30 include [enhancing its capabilities against anti-ship ballistic missiles]() (ASBMs), a relatively new type of threat. Aster 30 will be complemented by the CAMM-ER, the extended-range version of the [Common Anti-air Modular Missile]() that is being added to the five *Visby* class corvettes, to expand their anti-air warfare capabilities. The CAMM-ER surface-to-air missile can engage a wide variety of threats out to a range of around 25 miles. ![]() *An artist’s impression shows the baseline CAMM being launched from a *Visby* class corvette. *MBDA** In terms of anti-ship missiles, the Swedish boats will carry the locally made RBS 15 instead of the MM40 Exocet on the French ships. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NX9v1XyxY_I As well as an onboard helicopter, anti-submarine firepower will be entrusted to the Swedish Torped 47 instead of the MU90. This new, lightweight torpedo has recently been tested by the Swedish Navy, being fired from a corvette, and during live-fire exercises from a submarine, as seen in the video below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHSVaHSyRuA With its long track record of naval artillery, Sweden will provide the [Bofors 57mm]() instead of the OTO 76mm, while the [Bofors 40 Mk 4]() will be used as the close-in weapon system (CIWS) in place of the 21-tube [RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile]() (RAM). The Bofors 40 Mk 4 can fire Bofors 3P (Pre-fragmented, Programmable, Proximity-fused) ammunition, which can be programmed in six different modes to provide optimised effect against different targets, including airbursts against aerial drones. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UG9QK-Uq_bA Smaller-caliber guns will be fitted in the form of the [Saab Trackfire 12.7mm]() remote weapon stations (RWS), replacing the Lionfish 20 or Narwhal 20mm. At this stage, it appears that the French-made SETIS combat management system will be retained on the Swedish warships and not replaced with a local equivalent, such as the [Saab 9LV](). However, the [Sea Giraffe 1X]() radar, from the same firm, will [reportedly]() be included in the sensor array. This would displace the original Thales Sea Fire radar found in the baseline FDI design and would extend air defense surveillance out to a significant range. https://twitter.com/D__Mitch/status/2056655713569489018?s=20 Choosing an existing French design means that Sweden will be able to share some of the costs of the program with other operators. As well as France, Greece is ordering the FDI design, and other potential customers include Sweden’s neighbor, [Denmark](). At the same time, operating common or very similar warship designs enhances interoperability, especially during joint operations. The decision also further cements the military relationship between France and Sweden. Welcoming the Swedish choice, President of France Emmanuel Macron today wrote on X that it reflected the burgeoning defense partnership, which has also seen France select the Saab [GlobalEye]() airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) to replace its [E-3F Sentry]() Airborne Warning & Control System (AWACS) fleet, as well as Swedish participation in advanced deterrence. The latter refers to the [forward deployment of nuclear-capable French Rafale fighters]() to Sweden, as European NATO members look at [bolstering their deterrence capabilities]() independent of the United States. https://twitter.com/EmmanuelMacron/status/2056644151215530387?s=20 For the Swedish Navy, the primary area of operation has been the Baltic theater, an area of resurgent strategic relevance, as the host to regular and sometimes hostile Russian military activity, [maritime](), [airborne](), and also increasingly [in the ‘gray zone’]() or hybrid warfare. Once the new *Luleå* class frigates arrive, starting in 2030, according to plans, the improved capabilities of these powerful vessels will not only bolster Swedish Navy operations in its traditional Baltic area of operations but also out into the wider North Atlantic region, reflecting Sweden’s developing military ambitions as it becomes a more established NATO member. *Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com* ## Author Thomas Newdick is a staff writer at *TWZ*, where he covers military aviation, defense technology, weapons systems, and international security. Based in Berlin, Germany, he reports on conflicts, military modernization efforts, and emerging aerospace technologies around the world, with a particular interest in airpower and its role in contemporary warfare. His reporting is informed by deep expertise in modern and historical airpower, particularly in Europe, with a focus on military aviation, air campaigns, and aerospace developments across the continent and beyond. Over a journalism career spanning more than 25 years, Thomas has become known for making complex defense and aerospace topics accessible to a broad audience. His reporting combines technical expertise, historical context, and a focus on the real-world operational and strategic implications of military developments. ### Author social links [Twitter]()