The Swedish government, as part of a new military aid package for our country worth 113 million euros, plans to deliver a certain number of air defense systems of two types - RBS 70 and TRIDON Mk 2.
At this point, it is important to clarify that Sweden has previously supplied the Ukrainian Armed Forces with the short-range surface-to-air missile system RBS 70, so these systems are already familiar to our military. In contrast, the TRIDON Mk 2, which has a firing range of up to 12 kilometers, represents a completely new development, with the Ukrainian Armed Forces being its first users.
To specify regarding the TRIDON Mk 2, this air defense artillery system was first showcased by the defense company BAE Systems during the Eurosatory 2024 defense exhibition. The foundation of the TRIDON Mk 2 is the 40-mm Bofors 40 Mk4 automatic cannon, which is actively used in the navies of European countries and has a confirmed firing range of up to 12 kilometers.
Moreover, it is noted that the TRIDON Mk 2 has a firing rate of 200-300 rounds per minute, and programmable detonation shells Bofors 3P are used to engage aerial targets. Interestingly, the developers of the TRIDON Mk 2 have provided for the possibility of mounting this anti-aircraft system on various platforms, such as tracked all-terrain vehicles BvS 10 or civilian Volvo trucks.
However, this development has one significant drawback - the stated production cycle is as long as 15 months, raising the pertinent question of how many TRIDON Mk 2 systems Sweden will be able to deliver to the Ukrainian Armed Forces and within what timeframe.
Regarding the short-range surface-to-air missile system RBS 70, here are some details. This system was first "spotted" in the ranks of our troops in April 2023, and in August of the same year, the Ukrainian Armed Forces showcased the RBS 70 in action for the first time, during which an enemy Ka-52 was destroyed.
The effective range for engaging aerial targets with the RBS 70 in the Mk 2 variant is up to 7 kilometers, while the RBS 70 NG variant extends that range to 9 kilometers. Notable features of this system include the use of "cold launch" for missile firing and a "laser guide" for target acquisition.
In July 2024, Saab secured its first customer for the mobile RBS 70 NG air defense system based on JLTV, and this system can be considered an excellent replacement for the "Strela-10" and "Osa" systems.