Sweden’s armed forces have adopted a new concept for conducting combat operations with its air force.
It предусматривает air strikes against the enemy’s rear areas in the event of an attack on the country, ERR reports.
The head of the Swedish Air Force’s Air Operations Centre, Colonel Carl Bergqvist, said that in the event of aggression from Russia, Sweden would no longer limit itself to defence alone. The country would move to offensive action and strike deep into Russian territory.
The central element of the new concept is the JAS 39 Gripen multirole fighter, which is being equipped with Taurus KEPD cruise missiles. These missiles have a range of up to 500 km and are designed to destroy well-protected ground targets. The Swedish military may also receive missiles with a range of up to 2,000 km. Journalists note that the distance from Stockholm to Moscow is about 1,200 km.
In addition, the new strategy предусматривает dispersing combat aircraft and using roads for aircraft take-offs and landings. Sweden also plans to strengthen its air defence and intelligence capabilities using satellites and drones.