BAE Systems has secured contracts worth around 171 million dollars to supply its Bofors 40mm and 57mm 3P programmable ammunition to Sweden and Finland, in a joint procurement arranged through the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) and Finland’s Defence Forces Logistics Command (FDF LOG COM).
Sweden will receive both 40mm and 57mm stocks to expand inventories for the Stridsfordon 90, naval guns and air-defence units. Finland’s order focuses on 57mm rounds for the Finnish Navy.
3P ammunition is designed as a flexible, multi-role round with selectable modes to counter drones, missiles, helicopters, swarming boats, surface vessels and land targets. The programmable fusing and pre-fragmented design intends to improve lethality against small, fast and hard-to-track threats that are increasingly central to Nordic and Baltic security planning.
Lena Gillström, president of BAE Systems Bofors, framed the deal as evidence of tightening regional defence cooperation. “As a trusted partner to Sweden and Finland, this joint purchase marks an important step in further strengthening defence capabilities in the region and enhancing bilateral cooperation to keep Europe safe,” she said. “We are delivering cutting-edge solutions to put our customers in the best position to meet future challenges.”
The ammunition will feed into a range of existing and planned Swedish systems, including 40mm anti-aircraft guns intended to counter unmanned aerial threats, and will bolster Finland’s surface combatants at a time of heightened focus on counter-UAS and close-range defence.
Bae backlog is so large and yet the stock price keeps dropping.
I hope it turns around sometime soon, I love this company and hope they start building more kit for the British military soon.
Surprised their stock keeps dropping, they’ve had massive orders this year haven’t they?!?!
BAE Stock price is not dropping, it’s having a market fluctuation as it settles down after a massive increase. It was £1200 in 2024, 2025 saw it rise about £2000 in 2025.. it’s now levelled to a steady £1700 ish….
Is it fair to assume the MoD will be placing an order for 3P rounds for the T31 fleet? Is it too early for Venturer? If others are re-/ordering, will we need to join the orderbooks soon, so our guns are not left tooth-less? Or are we sticking to a more convention, non-programmable round for the time being?
Who knows…..
The delays to DIP are at comedy level.
Essentially trying to push the timeline for ££££ into the next parliament to make it someone else’s problem.
Pic looks like a couple of expensive ball point pens..
The UK could really use some 40mm Bofors mounts as coastal defence guns as well as key defence and infrastructure defensive weapons. Radar guided Bofors is the best and cheapest defence Vs UAVs and cruise missiles
As part of GBAD/Shorad. You might like the 40mm Tridon mount that goes on the back of a truck. Even to see a pair of 40mm on the carriers to complement the Phalanx’s. Here’s hoping.
Wouldn’t UK MoD purchases inherently be acquired at some effective discount? Eventually, perhaps in a convoluted manner, BAES is contributing a share of profits for all purchases to HMG’s Treasury. Granted, MoD will never receive a farthing of benefit, but someone in the social-welfare hierarchy should prosper. Correct?
This ammunition is actually manufactured by BAE Systems Bofors in Sweden so no, not really. In the same way that the British taxpayer doesn’t exactly benefit when the US Military places orders with BAE for APKWS, M109s, Bradleys or 5-inch naval guns.