The Swedish Coast Guard has submitted a plan to the government to protect its vessels from rising threats in the Baltic Sea. The agency is introducing new weapons, jammers and training to handle drones and hybrid attacks.
The deteriorated security situation has led the Coast Guard to swiftly develop measures for enhanced self-protection. Director General Lena Lindgren Schelin says the starting point is that the situation could worsen. The plan includes mounting machine gun 58 on vessels and equipping staff with automatic carbine 24 for self-defense.
The agency also plans to buy shotguns to shoot down small drones and introduce jammers against GPS and radio signals. Around 300 officials will undergo five weeks of weapons training that will temporarily affect regular operations.
The Coast Guard proposes legal changes to designate vessels as protected objects and thereby gain authority to intervene against drones. In the longer term, remotely controlled 30 mm cannons for new ships are being investigated after 2030.
