Sweden and Germany signed a letter of intent on Wednesday to deepen cooperation on air defence, covering missile defence, space capabilities, and advanced combat aviation including unmanned systems such as Germany's Loyal Wingman drone. Defence Minister Pål Jonson and his German counterpart Boris Pistorius signed the agreement on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara.
Jonson described the deal as an important step for two close allies, European security, and NATO's capability requirements. The two countries already cooperate on electronic warfare and inter-agency coordination on air defence.
The agreement follows Sweden's donation of 16 older Saab Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine roughly a week ago, with Ukraine purchasing 16 new ones. Jonson noted that several European countries, including Germany, have expressed interest in cooperating with Saab.