Saab Bofors Dynamics

Saab Bofors Dynamics is a subsidiary of the Saab Group that specializes in military materiel such as missile systems and anti-tank systems. It is located in Karlskoga and Linköping, Sweden. Its corporate heritage goes back to Bofors, a hammer mill, which was founded as a royal state-owned company in 1646. In 1873, this was converted to a modern corporate structure by becoming a "stock company", in Swedish an aktiebolag, that is a "limited company" or a "corporation". In 1999, Saab purchased the Celsius Group, by that time the parent owner of Bofors. In September 2000, SAAB sold their Bofors Weapon Systems, which produced the autocannon and tube artillery weapons, to United Defense Industries, while Saab retained their missile interests. Later BAE Systems acquired United Defense Industries. The weapon systems include sensors based on radar, infrared, and lasers. Several public campaigns, including civil disobedience actions, have targeted production sites as a protest against Swedish arms exports.