The Swedish Defense Materiel Administration (FMV) has ordered a further 22,500 AK 24 assault rifles from Finnish weapons and ammunition manufacturer Sako for the Swedish armed forces. The order was placed as part of a framework agreement already concluded in 2023.
According to FMV project manager Anders Östberg, the first 7,500 weapons are to be delivered “in the current year 2024 and the other 15,000 weapons next year”. https://militaeraktuell.at/schweden-wie-sich-land-auf-krieg-vorbereitet/ The framework agreement, which has a term of ten years, is part of a joint Swedish-Finnish procurement of small arms systems and associated technology. The aim is to create security of supply for both Finland and Sweden and to improve interoperability by using the same types of weapons with the same ammunition. The first weapon to be delivered to the Swedish Armed Forces is the AK 24 in 5.56 caliber, which will replace the Swedish Armed Forces’ current assault rifle. “It is a more modern and lighter weapon with better ergonomics and better adaptability to body size,” says Anders Östberg.
The procurement was preceded by extensive tests at the test site in Karlsborg, as reported by FMV. This involved checking “whether the weapon meets the requirements set by the Swedish armed forces”. During the so-called verification and validation, a total of 30,000 shots were fired with a weapon during the test period – the number of shots corresponds approximately to the service life of the weapon. “This is to ensure that all parts are in order, that nothing breaks and that the weapon functions as intended,” says the FMV. In addition, 200 weapons have been undergoing troop testing in a total of four units since the spring. “So far, our tests and trials have gone well and the weapon is delivering what the supplier promised. But as with all trials, there are details that are difficult to predict and need to be adjusted. The supplier is now taking care of these details,” says Anders Östberg.
