Sweden may be the first in the EU with a launch site for satellites at the Esrange space base outside Kiruna. According to Commander-in-Chief Micael Bydén, the Armed Forces is investigating the possibility of its own military satellites.
– I can see in front of me the use of smaller satellites that are used for a shorter time for a limited purpose, he says.
But new capacity also makes Sweden more vulnerable.
Anti-satellite weapons and space threats
After the Cold War space armament, a few decades of calm followed. In recent years, something has happened, says Sandra Lindström, research leader for defense and security-related space issues at the Swedish Defense Research Agency, FOI.
-Nowadays, space is considered an arena where you can and will need to be able to wage war. It’s like the big change that has taken place.
Participants: Sweden’s Commander-in-Chief Micael Bydén, Mats Helgesson, former Air Force chief who now leads the space network at the Academy of Military Sciences, Sandra Lindström, research leader for defense and security-related space issues at FOI, the Swedish Defense Research Agency, Peter Sturesson, major, doctor of microsystem technology, and head of research at the Air Force.
Of:
Bo Torbjörn Ek, host
Ulrika Bergqvist, Reporter
Carl-Johan Ulvenäs, producer
Publisher: Nils Eklund
Techniques: Mats Jonsson
Audio from: NBC, Swedish Radio, US Department of State, UN Audiovisual Library
Source: ICELAND NEWS