Finland & Sweden Team Up for Sako Military Rifle Deal

Two Scandinavian countries announced this week they will move toward a common series of rifles, all produced by Sako.

The Finnish and Swedish defense ministries on Monday held a joint press conference to debut the framework of a plan that would see the armed forces of both countries adopt a shared family of small arms produced in the region. The agreement – worked out between the Swedish Defense Materiel Agency, or FMV, the Finnish Defense Force Logistics Command, and riflemaker Sako Oy – would last 10 years with optional extensions that stretch until 2053.

Left to right: Franco Gussali Beretta, President Chairman of Sako Board; Jari Mikkonen, Director of FDF Logistics Command; Jonas Lotsne, Head of FMV; and Raimo Karjalainen, CEO Member of Sako Board. (Photo: Sako)

The new family of common rifles includes a 5.56 NATO carbine, a 7.62 NATO caliber rifle, and a bolt-action precision rifle in .338 Lapua Magnum.

Sako's 5.56 platform. Note the ambi surface controls, full-length top Pic rail, QD suppressor muzzle device, M-LOK slotted handguard, and Magpul furniture. (Photo: Sako)

The 7.62 NATO variant is much the same, only bigger. (Photo: Sako)

The marksman/sniper rifle chosen is Sako's TRG M10, a multi-caliber platform that has been winning contracts worldwide as of late. (Photo: Sako)

Slated for replacement in the 67,000-strong Swedish military is the country's Automatkarbin (AK) 4 and AK5, as well as the PSG 90 sniper rifle.

Swedish troops with AK4 rifles — The Swedish AK4, adopted in the 1960s, is a licensed version of the HK G3A3 in 7.62 NATO. (Photo: Swedish Armed Forces)

Swedish troops with AK5 rifles — The Swedish AK5, adopted in the 1980s, is a licensed variant of the FN FNC in 5.56 NATO. Both the AK4 and AK5 were produced domestically in Sweden by Carl Gustafs and Husqvarna. (Photo: Swedish Armed Forces)

Meanwhile, the Finnish military, which has a strength of over 280,000 when mobilized, is set to replace the indigenous Valmet Rk 62 and updated Rk 95 in 7.62x39mm. While both have Kalashnikov roots, the new Sako-made guns are of AR-15/AR-10 layouts, which promise more commonality with other NATO nations – a key point to keep in mind as both Sweden and Finland are slated for membership in the military alliance.

Scandinavian neighbors Norway and Denmark both field AR variants, with the Norwegians using HK 416s and the Danes running C7s and C8s – which are fundamentally just M16A2s and M4s but made by Colt Canada.

Finnish troops with Valmet rifles — Finland has, since the 1960s, used a variety of locally-made updated Kalash models made by Valmet. Valmet's gun manufacturing unit merged with Sako in the 1980s. (Photo: Finnish Defense Forces)

Meanwhile, Finland already announced a move to the Sako TRG M10 for its precision rifle needs earlier this year.

Sako is owned by Beretta.

Banner image: A Sako TRG M10 in its natural habitat. (Photo: Beretta Defense Technologies)

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