Sweden and Denmark Launch Joint Procurement to Supply Ukraine With Tridon Mk2 Air Defense.

Sweden and Denmark will jointly procure and donate Swedish-made Tridon Mk2 mobile anti-aircraft gun systems to Ukraine, the Swedish Ministry of Defense announced on 3 February 2026. The move is designed to speed delivery of short-range air defense as Russia continues intensive drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian forces and civilian infrastructure.

Sweden and Denmark are launching a coordinated procurement effort to supply Ukraine with Tridon Mk2 mobile air defense systems, according to a statement released by Sweden’s Ministry of Defense on Monday. The initiative, led by Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson and Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen, is intended to accelerate production and delivery timelines by pooling funding and opening the framework to additional partner nations, officials said.
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The TRIDON Mk2 is a ground-based air defense system (Ground-Based Air Defense, GBAD) designed to fill the gap left by costly missile interceptors, which are often expensive to operate and limited in available quantities (Picture source: ArmyRecognition)

The announcement confirms that Sweden has already allocated SEK 2.1 billion for Tridon systems under Swedish military support packages 18, 19, and 20, while Denmark is expanding the procurement with additional Tridon units and related equipment worth around SEK 480 million. According to the Swedish government, the Danish package corresponds to equipment for an air defense battalion, indicating an intent to deliver not only isolated weapon platforms but a coherent operational capability with the supporting elements required for sustained use. Deliveries to Ukraine are expected to begin within 12 months, and Sweden has stated it has prepared the framework to place additional orders quickly if more countries choose to co-finance.

The TRIDON Mk2 is a ground-based air defense system (Ground-Based Air Defense, GBAD) designed to fill the gap left by costly missile interceptors, which are often expensive to operate and limited in available quantities. It is the product of nearly 90 years of experience dating back to 1936 within the Bofors lineage, and is built around a pragmatic concept: deliver rapid, precise fire against saturation threats. In this role, TRIDON Mk2 is intended to neutralize drones, cruise missiles, aircraft flying at low altitude, and in certain scenarios even ground targets, thereby supporting the protection of both military forces and civilian infrastructure. The Tridon concept is designed to be adaptable: in its Swedish configuration, it is mounted on a Scania off-road truck, but the system can be integrated on other carriers, including tracked vehicles, which is relevant for Ukraine’s mixed fleet and the need to disperse air defense assets across varied terrain.

Mounted on a self-propelled platform and operated remotely, the TRIDON Mk2 uses a 40 mm gun with an effective engagement range that can reach up to 12 km, depending on the target type, the ammunition selected, the integrated sensor suite, and terrain conditions. Its modular design supports fast deployment and integration on different carriers, while leaving room for incremental upgrades as battlefield requirements evolve. With comparatively low operating costs and straightforward maintenance, the system is positioned as a durable short-range air defense solution that can sustain repeated engagements and help keep critical areas protected over time.

The Tridon Mk2 systems procured for Ukraine are not delivered as standalone guns. They are additionally equipped with a command system and Saab’s Giraffe 1-X sensors, giving the package a complete detect-to-engage chain rather than a purely local self-defense capability. This sensor and command integration is critical in Ukraine’s environment, where warning time can be short and the ability to cue weapons quickly from distributed sensors is often the difference between intercepting a threat and merely reacting after impact. The donation also includes spare parts and large quantities of ammunition, notably advanced programmable high-explosive rounds known as 3P ammunition. The presence of 3P is operationally important because programmable fuzing increases lethality against small and fast targets such as drones, while also improving efficiency by reducing the number of rounds needed per engagement.

Sweden and Denmark explicitly frame the system as a response to a diverse threat set. Tridon is intended to engage drones, cruise missiles, helicopters, and attack aircraft, while also retaining the ability to provide close protection against threats on the ground. That dual-role dimension is not a secondary feature in Ukraine’s case: front-line units regularly face low-flying UAVs and loitering munitions, but also confront ground assaults where direct fire support can be decisive. A mobile 40 mm system with modern ammunition can therefore serve both as a defensive shield and, when required, as a close-range fire support asset, particularly in the protection of logistics hubs, bridges, ammunition depots, and energy nodes.

The Swedish-Danish Tridon procurement underlines a broader European trend: Ukraine’s air defense is increasingly treated as a continental security issue rather than a distant conflict management problem. The deal reinforces Nordic defense-industrial cooperation and supports a European security of supply approach that values scalable production and rapid procurement cycles. At the same time, it signals to Moscow that European states are adapting their assistance to the realities of attritional warfare, where sustainable delivery pipelines matter more than symbolic one-off donations. If other partners join the co-financing mechanism, the Tridon initiative could become a template for accelerating European defense output while strengthening NATO’s northern industrial base, tightening the link between Ukraine’s survival and the long-term balance of power in Europe.

Written By Erwan Halna du Fretay - Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Erwan Halna du Fretay is a graduate of a Master’s degree in International Relations and has experience in the study of conflicts and global arms transfers. His research interests lie in security and strategic studies, particularly the dynamics of the defense industry, the evolution of military technologies, and the strategic transformation of armed forces.