Swedish Coast Guard being armed

[Kirkhill]

Sweden Arms Coast Guard as Russian Activity Raises Baltic Security Concerns

Sweden coast guard machine guns will be fitted to its three largest vessels from 2025, using KSP 58-type weapons.

united24media.com

"Sweden is equipping its civilian coast guard vessels with machine guns in response to what authorities describe as an increasingly complex security environment in the Baltic Sea linked to Russian activity."

 

[Colin Parkinson]

With the move to DND, I think it will be a good step to fit the bigger ships with .50cal on either side on pintle mounts. The storing of the guns and ammunition will be fairly straightforward. The training of the crews and practise can all be done during regular crew cycles with a travelling team to teach and certify crews.

The bigger issue is teaching the ROE and preparing the Captains and First Officers for the use of lethal force in performance of their duties. Really what this will be is a stepping stone to develop a enforcement and defense mindset in the senior officers and management of the CCG. The guns will be mostly there to provide overwatch to boarding teams provided by Fisheries, CBSA and police.