The Swedish military has carried out its first live fire exercise with Patriot missiles, in an exercise on the Greek island of Crete.
The head of the air force, General Major Jonas Wikman, says this is “a concrete example of how we are strengthening our common capability within Nato.”
The exercise took place as part of Spartan Arrow, a yearly Nato exercise in Crete led by Germany.
Around 100 people from Sweden took part this year.
The head of the air defence regiment that uses the Patriots is colonel Sofia Westermark.
She says this exercise is also about making sure Sweden can work smoothly with other Nato allies.
“Swedish air defence units are ready to take an active part in the defence of Nato,” says colonel Westermark.
The air defence regiment is based in Halmstad, southern Sweden, just opposite Denmark.
The German defence forces also say that it is significant that Swedish forces are now certified to use the Patriot system.
The Bundeswehr writes that Sweden can now take a roll in protecting the Nato ‘eastern flank’ through stationing air defence near the Polish city of Rzeszów.
Picture: Swedish troops using the Patriot system at the exercise in Crete
Credit: Alexander Gustavsson/Försvarsmakten