Sweden becomes fifth NATO country to procure the French Thales GM200 MM/C radar.

On April 3, 2025, the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (Försvarets materielverk – FMV) signed a contract with Thales Nederland for the procurement of the Ground Master 200 Multi-Mission Compact radar (GM200 MM/C). This agreement marks the first acquisition of a medium-range radar under Sweden’s ongoing “Sensorsystem Ny” program, which aims to establish a new system for air and surface surveillance. The GM200 MM/C will replace the current PS-871 radar system, which is approaching the end of its service life.
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The GM200 MM/C radar system, produced by Thales Nederland, was introduced in 2024 and was developed in collaboration with the Royal Netherlands Army. (Picture source: Dutch MoD)

The contract is valued at approximately one billion Swedish kronor (approximately €91.117.850). The first delivery is scheduled for 2026, followed by ongoing deliveries to the Swedish Armed Forces. FMV has emphasized the importance of short lead times in this procurement in order to deliver operational capability to the armed forces in a limited timeframe. The radar systems are expected to enhance both air and maritime situational awareness and provide increased operational mobility due to their inherently mobile configuration. According to FMV project manager Per Schylström, the ability to rapidly reinforce radar coverage in prioritized areas is a key operational benefit of the new system.

The GM200 MM/C acquisition is linked to a pre-existing Letter of Intent between Sweden and the Netherlands. This framework includes provisions for information exchange, harmonization of technical requirements and contractual terms for future procurements, the alignment of maintenance agreements and system development, and coordination of industrial cooperation. FMV considers supply security a central factor in this procurement, aiming to distribute delivery risks and meet the need for high production capacity.

Sweden becomes the fifth NATO country to select the GM200 MM/C radar. The system, produced by Thales Nederland, was introduced in 2024 and was developed in collaboration with the Royal Netherlands Army. The radar is part of the Ground Master 200 Multi-Mission (GM200 MM) family and shares technology with land-based GM200 and naval NS100/200 systems. The GM200 MM/C is optimized for Counter Battery and Weapon Locating operations and supports missions ranging from Very Short Range Air Defence (VSHORAD) to Medium Range Air Defence (MRAD). It is deployable in less than two minutes and is transportable by road, rail, or tactical aircraft.

The radar uses 4D Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) technology, which features dual-axis multi-beam capabilities allowing unrestricted beam steering in both azimuth and elevation. It operates in the S-band frequency and incorporates full Doppler waveforms, Electronic Counter-Countermeasures (ECCM) capabilities, and Gallium Nitride (GaN) transmitters. It also integrates cyber protection and is interoperable with NATO secret networks. The GM200 MM/C provides an instrumented range of over 400 kilometers, elevation coverage up to 80°, and ceiling coverage up to 100,000 feet. It is designed for 24/7 availability in environments without GPS or in the presence of electronic warfare interference.

Detection capabilities of the GM200 MM/C include Air Breathing Targets (ABTs), hovering helicopters, cruise missiles, sea surface targets, rockets, artillery, mortars (RAM), and unmanned aerial vehicles ranging from Class I (Mini) to Class IV (High Altitude Long Endurance). The radar offers automatic detection, tracking, and classification of targets, including simultaneous support for air surveillance and counter-battery operations. It supports functions such as point of origin and point of impact determination and kill assessment for ground-based air defense missions. The system features software-defined radar architecture, enabling future capability expansion without requiring major upgrades or prolonged service interruptions.

The unit price for the GM200 MM/C is approximately €14.5 million, based on the Danish procurement of five radars in 2022 for a total of DKK 540 million. Other confirmed operators of the GM200 MM/C include the Netherlands, which ordered 26 units; Denmark, with five units ordered in 2023; Norway, with eight units ordered across 2021 and 2022; and Lithuania, which selected the radar in 2023 for installation on Mercedes-Benz Zetros 6×6 trucks. Brazil also ordered the GM200 MM/A variant in 2024. The United Kingdom has signaled interest in procuring the GM200 MM/C for the Serpens Project, potentially to be installed on mission modules for the Boxer vehicle.

The GM200 MM/C system’s design enables use in both fixed and mobile configurations and supports rapid redeployment, with full mobility and “sense and scoot” functionality achievable in under five minutes. The radar is platform-independent and can be operated either locally or remotely. It features standard interfaces for integration with existing systems.