Swedish Armed Forces told to speed up weapons development as Ukraine war drives innovation push

According to Lieutenant General Carl-Johan Edström, Chief of the Defence Staff, the war in Ukraine shows that innovation has become an important operational capability and that new solutions can be developed in weeks or months, not years.

"Those who can quickly identify a need, build a solution and implement it in their war unit will gain a decisive advantage," he says in a press release.

The assignment is to strengthen collaboration between the Swedish Armed Forces, other defence authorities, academia, the business community and prioritised international partners such as Ukraine, NATO and the EU. It must be reported in writing to the Government Offices no later than 1 November 2026.