The Skaraborg Brigade (), or the 4th Mechanized Brigade (MekB 4), is a
Swedish Army
The Swedish Army () is the army, land force of the Swedish Armed Forces of the Kingdom of Sweden. Beginning with its service in 1521, the Swedish Army has been active for more than 500 years.
History
Svea Life Guards dates back to the year 1 ...
mechanized brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military unit, military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute ...
located in the county of
Västra Götaland, active since 2022. It was previously active 1942–2000. The brigade is located at
Skövde garrison with the
Skaraborg Regiment.
History
The brigade was established in 1943 under the name of the 9th Armoured Brigade and was one of the very first Swedish army brigades.
In the Defence Act of 1992, the government proposed that the wartime organization should reflect the peacetime organization. As a result, in 1994, the Skaraborg Brigade was cadre-organized within the
Southern Military District
The Order of the Red Banner Southern Military District () is a military district of Russia.
It is one of the five military districts of the Russian Armed Forces, with its jurisdiction primarily within the North Caucasus region of the country ...
but wartime-organized within the
Western Army Division. The division's wartime organization was reorganized once again in 1996, becoming subordinate to the
Southern Army Division.
The unit was disbanded as a result of the disarmament policies set forward in the
Defence Act of 2000. In 2021, following the Defence Act of 2020, which significantly reorganized the army, the 2nd Brigade was disbanded, and its equipment was transferred to the Skaraborg Brigade, which was set to be re-established in 2022.
Upon the re-establishment of the brigade, its wartime organization would be within the
1st Division along with the rest of the Swedish Army's active brigades.
Organization
As of 2022, the planned wartime organization of the Skaraborg Brigade at full operational capacity is as follows, with full capability expected to be reached by 2027:
* 4th Mechanized Brigade
** 4th Brigade Staff
*** 4th Brigade Headquarters Company
*** 4th Brigade Reconnaissance Company
*** 4th Brigade Air Defence Company
*** 4th Brigade Signals Company
** 41st Mechanized Battalion
** 42nd Mechanized Battalion
** 43rd Mechanized Battalion
** 4th Brigade Artillery Battalion
** 4th Brigade Engineer Battalion
** 4th Brigade Support Battalion
** 4th Tank Transport Company
Heraldry and traditions
The Skaraborg Brigade shared heraldry and traditions with the
Skaraborg Regiment. In the years 1998–2000, the brigade managed the traditions of the regiment.
The most commonly used
beret
A beret ( , ; ; ; ) is a soft, round, flat-crowned cap made of hand-knitted wool, crocheted cotton, wool felt, or acrylic fibre.
Mass production of berets began in the 19th century in Southern France and the north of History of Spain (1808 ...
colour is black, worn by all light and mechanized infantry units.
When the Skaraborg Brigade was disbanded in 2000, the ''Skaraborgs regementes och Skaraborgsbrigadens (MekB 9) förtjänstmedalj'' ("Skaraborg Regiment and Skaraborg Brigade (MekB 9) Medal of Merit") in gold and silver (SkarabregbrigGM/SM) of the 8th size was established in 1999. The
medal ribbon
A medal ribbon, service ribbon or ribbon bar is a small ribbon, mounted on a small metal bar equipped with an attaching device, which is generally issued for wear in place of a medal when it is not appropriate to wear the actual medal. Each cou ...
is divided in black and yellow
moiré with a white stripe on the middle followed on both sides by a red stripe.
Commanders
The commanders of the brigade throughout its history are as follows:
Attributes
See also
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List of Swedish Army brigades
Footnotes
References
Notes
Print
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Web
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{{Commons category, Skaraborgsbrigaden, Skaraborg Brigade
Brigades of the Swedish Army
Military units and formations established in 1949
Military units and formations disestablished in 2000
Military units and formations established in 2022
1949 establishments in Sweden
2000 disestablishments in Sweden
2022 establishments in Sweden
Skövde Garrison
20th-century establishments in Skaraborg County