The Swedish arms export has been criticized and heavily covered by the media for many years. The criticism that has often been highlighted concerns an outrage that Sweden exports weapons to autocratic countries. The Swedish arms export has been developing through the years which has led to Sweden being one of the largest arms exports in the world. This has contributed to Sweden gaining a very special position in the world of arms export, where Sweden is a sought-after actor. This study examines why Sweden chooses to export weapons to Saudi Arabia, which is an autocratically ranked country. The investigation is conducted from the perspective of realism. The study aims to provide detailed explanations based on different perspectives within the theoretical framework of realism such as international anarchism, national interest, self interest and balance of power about why Sweden has extensive arms exports to Saudi Arabia. The study shows that even though the Swedish arms export to Saudi Arabia is a paradox with the Swedish ideal, it is inevitable and must be carried out primarily because Sweden, like every nation in the world, must fight for its security and survival.