Sweden to hand over eight Archer artillery systems to Ukraine

This is noted in the Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson's statement, Dagens Nyheter reports.

“They will give Ukrainians the opportunity to disable Russian artillery systems,” the statement says. 

According to additional amendments to the budget submitted to parliament, the government also requests the transfer of 10 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine.

In total, the eight artillery pieces and ten tanks are valued at more than 6 billion kronor (approximately EUR 537,329,544 million). This is the money that the Ukrainian Armed Forces must receive between 2024 and 2026 to be able to replace what will be transferred to Ukraine.

“You could say that the Archer system is a sniper rifle, not a shotgun. It is the ability to deliver ultra-deep strikes against the enemy's artillery system that makes the Archer unique,” defense minister added. 

Ukraine will receive the systems in a few months, and they will be equipped with computers for fire control, training for Ukrainian personnel, and a logistics hub for maintenance and repair. It is believed that Ukraine can use six of the eight systems simultaneously on the battlefield, as two must be kept in reserve to be able to find spare parts.

Sweden currently has 48 Archer pieces, of which 24 are used by the Swedish Armed Forces. The other 24 are in storage. In addition to the eight Archer howitzers and ten Leopard 2s, Sweden has decided to support Ukraine with 50 combat vehicles, 90 air defense systems and anti-tank weapons.