The Finnish and Swedish armed forces signed a framework agreement with Finnish firearms producer Sako on 27 March 2023 to jointly procure a range of small arms.
The agreement was signed at the Sako factory in Riihimäki by Major General Jari Mikkonen, Director of the Finnish Defence Forces (FDF) Logistics Command, Brigadier General Jonas Lotsne, Director of Land Systems at the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV), Sako CEO Raimo Karjalainen, and Franco Gussalli Beretta, Executive Vice President of Beretta Holding, of which Sako has been a subsidiary since 2000.
The framework agreement is designed to allow Finland and Sweden to procure new small arms in a cost-effective manner. It will initially run for 10 years, followed by three seven-year option periods until 31 December 2053.
In the first phase Finland will acquire assault rifles and personal protective weapons for field tests: acquisitions that will be worth approximately EUR 0.7 M.
Sweden, meanwhile, will make a more substantial serial production order for assault rifles and personal protective weapons worth approximately SEK 875 M (EUR 78 M). The Swedish FMV’s procurement at this stage covers 5.56×45 mm and 7.62×51 mm assault rifles as well as 7.62×51 mm and .338 Lapua Magnum (8.6 mm) calibre sniper rifles. These will replace the AK4 and AK5 assault rifles and the Psg90 sniper rifle currently in use. Deployment of the sniper rifle is planned for 2024, followed by the new 5.56 mm assault rifle in 2025 and the other weapons after that. The roll-out will be in stages as the new weapons are delivered.
Before each weapon is delivered there will be large-scale trials where quality, handling and ergonomics will be tested under varying conditions. Testing will be carried out by both FMV test personnel and Swedish troops. Distribution of the weapons will include the training of trainers, technical staff and other military personnel as well as the production of training materials.
“We very much appreciate the agreement and thank the Swedish and Finnish Defence Forces for the good co-operation with Sako Ltd and the trust they have placed in us. With this agreement Sako Ltd will return to being a manufacturer of semi-automatic and automatic weapons,” Sako’s Karjalainen was quoted as saying in a company press release.
“The signed agreement will have a significant impact on the growth of Sako’s business and on the defence and security of supply of both countries. Sako Ltd’s products ensure that both the Finnish and Swedish Defence Forces will have state-of-the-art products to ensure the security of their countries,” Karjalainen added. “The agreement will have a major impact in the long term, and will have a significant impact on employment at Sako.
“We are very grateful to Beretta Holding, the owner of the company, which has placed its trust in our company and created the conditions for Sako to participate in the realisation of this contract.”
Finnish Defence Minister Antti Kaikkonen authorised the FDF to sign implementation documents to prepare for the joint procurement of small arms in May 2022, along with accessing a framework agreement on anti-tank weapons between the Swedish FMV and Saab Dynamics.
The implementation documents build upon an arrangement document signed between Finland and Sweden in September 2021 that focused on soldier weapon systems and related technologies.
These implementation documents facilitate joint procurements that improve the availability of critical defence materiel in Finland and Sweden because both countries can operate through the same commercial agreement.
Peter Felstead
