Sweden Sends Patriot Systems to Crete for Live-Fire Drills Ahead of Deployment to Poland
Swedish troops conducted their first live-fire drills with Patriot SAM systems on the Greek island of Crete ahead of deploying them to Poland as part of a NATO mission.
The Swedish Armed Forces reported this.
The live-fire drills took place on October 14 at the NATO Missile Firing Installation (NAMFI) range as part of the Spartan Arrow exercise. They involved personnel from Sweden’s 6th Air Defence Regiment (Lv 6) alongside German units.
During the exercise, Swedish gunners fired two GEM-T missiles from the Patriot system. One of the missiles successfully hit an aerial drone target.
According to SVT, each missile used costs more than 40 million Swedish kronor. This puts the total cost of the two interceptors fired at over 80 million kronor.
The Spartan Arrow exercise is organized by Germany, with Sweden taking part for the first time. The troops are practicing the deployment of air defense systems, coordination between allied units, and engagement of aerial targets in challenging conditions. Sweden has deployed more than 100 personnel to the exercise.
Live-fire drills are a mandatory part of assessing unit readiness under both national standards and NATO requirements. After successfully completing the tasks, the Swedish unit was cleared for its upcoming mission in Poland.
The Swedish Armed Forces noted the exercise tested the Patriot system’s full operational cycle, from transportation and deployment to live missile firing.
Militarnyi previously reported that Sweden plans to deploy Patriot systems and around 100 personnel to Poland to protect the logistics hub in Rzeszów, which serves as a key entry point for military aid to Ukraine.
The mission is expected to begin in early December 2026 and run through the end of the year, with the possibility of an extension into the first half of 2027.
The Swedish contingent will operate under NATO command and join the Alliance’s integrated air and missile defense system.
Sweden operates US Patriot systems under the national designation Luftvärnssystem 103. Their arsenal includes GEM-T missiles, designed to intercept aerodynamic targets, and PAC-3 MSEs, which can also be used against ballistic missiles.
