Sweden Signs for Four French-Built Frigates in a Lulea Class Configuration
First delivery is set for 2030 from a line already producing the type for France and Greece
The Swedish government finalised the contract on Monday 31 August for the construction of four French-built frigates, in a design intended to operate both in the conditions of the far north and in the Baltic in winter.
The procurement of new surface combat vessels was first included in Sweden's 2020 defence bill and adopted in December 2024. The contract comes months after Sweden announced in May that it had selected Naval Group's FDI design and instructed the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration to open exclusive negotiations. The French government took part in those negotiations, and President Emmanuel Macron attended the signing in Stockholm, which Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson described as a deepening of the strategic partnership between the two countries.
"This is a strategically important investment that strengthens Sweden's defense capability and security in light of a deteriorated international situation," said Minister for Defence Pal Jonson. "The four frigates will triple Sweden's current air defense capability. This is essential to Sweden's security and NATO's capability."
Beyond the design itself, the established production line weighed on the decision. The yard is already building versions of the ship for France and Greece, which permits rapid delivery: the first of the four Swedish vessels is scheduled for 2030, with the programme complete in 2034. Naval Group will also provide training to Swedish Armed Forces personnel.
The reference fleet is already in the water. Naval Group delivered one vessel to the Hellenic Navy in December 2025 and has three more under construction for Greece. In May 2026 it floated the second ship for the French Navy, due for delivery in 2027, and France recently added a fifth order with all its vessels due by 2032.
The design is a 122-metre frigate of approximately 4,500 tons displacement, with speeds of up to 27 knots and endurance of up to 5,000 nautical miles and 45 days. Naval Group says the inverted bow secures stability and speed performance in rough seas, with navigation tested to force 7 and waves of six to nine metres, while segmented lines with sharp edges give a high level of stealth.
Swedish officials have highlighted that the ships will be delivered in a national Lulea class configuration, with advanced anti-aircraft and anti-submarine systems and the capability to establish superiority at sea for the protection of maritime transport and to keep sea lanes open. Several subsystems come from Swedish suppliers, including the Saab lightweight torpedo, the RBS 15 anti-ship missile system, the Giraffe 1X surveillance radar and the Trackfire remote weapon station, while BAE Systems Bofors is to provide the 57 mm and 40 mm multi-target naval gun systems. Protecting merchant traffic is written into the stated mission, which places the programme alongside the wider question of how far state navies extend cover to commercial shipping, as in the IMO's account of ships unable to leave the Persian Gulf.
