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The Swedish Armed Forces (, literally ''Defence Force'') are the
armed forces A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a ...
of the Kingdom of Sweden. It consists of four separate military branches, the
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 ...
, the Swedish Navy, the Swedish Air Force and the Home Guard. Sweden's military has undergone a significant transformation in recent years, driven by a rapidly evolving security environment in Europe and its historic decision to join NATO in March 2024.2 This shift has led to substantial increases in defense spending, ambitious personnel expansion plans, and a renewed focus on territorial defense alongside continued international engagement. The Swedish Armed Forces have a long history, dating back to the sixteenth century, and have played an influential role in the history of
Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...
. They reached their height in the seventeenth century, during the time of the
Swedish Empire The Swedish Empire or the Great Power era () was the period in Swedish history spanning much of the 17th and early 18th centuries during which Sweden became a European great power that exercised territorial control over much of the Baltic regi ...
, when they participated in a variety of wars; these include the Scanian War, Northern War of 1655–1660, and
Great Northern War In the Great Northern War (1700–1721) a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in Northern Europe, Northern, Central Europe, Central and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the ant ...
, among others. Since the nineteenth century, they have also played an important role in the maintenance of Swedish neutrality, especially during the
Cold War The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...
. The Swedish Armed Forces consist of 25,600 active personnel, including 9,700 officers, 5,700 enlisted soldiers, and 10,200 civilian employees. Additionally, there are 7,100 reserve officers and 4,700 part-time enlisted soldiers, along with 22,200 soldiers in the Home Guard. As of 2023, 6,300 conscripts undergo military training annually, set to increase to 8,000 by 2025. In wartime, the total personnel is estimated to be 88,000, including all regularly employed personnel, reservists, and conscripts. Units of the Swedish Armed Forces are currently on or have taken part in several international operations either actively or as military observers, including
Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...
as part of the Resolute Support Mission and in
Kosovo Kosovo, officially the Republic of Kosovo, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe with International recognition of Kosovo, partial diplomatic recognition. It is bordered by Albania to the southwest, Montenegro to the west, Serbia to the ...
(as part of
Kosovo Force The Kosovo Force (KFOR) is a North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO-led international NATO peacekeeping, peacekeeping force and military of Kosovo. KFOR is the third security responder, after the Kosovo Police and the EU Rule of Law (European ...
). Moreover, the Swedish Armed Forces contribute as the leading state for a European Union Battlegroup approximately once every three years through the Nordic Battlegroup. Prior to 2024 Sweden had close relations with
NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...
and NATO members, and participates in training exercises like the Admiral Pitka Recon Challenge, and Exercise Trident Juncture 2018. In 2024, the country formally became a member of NATO. Sweden also has a strong cooperation with its closest allies of the
Nordic countries The Nordic countries (also known as the Nordics or ''Norden''; ) are a geographical and cultural region in Northern Europe, as well as the Arctic Ocean, Arctic and Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic oceans. It includes the sovereign states of Denm ...
, being part of the Nordic Defence Cooperation, Joint Expeditionary Force, and joint exercises such as Exercise Northern Wind. Sweden has not participated in an officially declared war since the 1814 Swedish–Norwegian War, although its forces, under the UN flag, have been involved in such conflicts as the Congo Crisis and the military intervention in Libya.


Equipment

The Swedish army has 121 tanks ( Leopard 2/Strv 122), roughly 1,540 APCs (Patria XA-360/ 203/ 180, RG-32 Scout, Bv410, Bv308/309), 450 IFVs ( CV9040), 11,300 utility vehicles (ex. Bv206/208, MB G-Class 6x6 and 4x4, MB sprinter), 84 towed and 40 self-propelled mortar ( 12 cm grk m/41, grkpbv90) and 26 self-propelled artillery guns ( Archer). It also consists of several different specialized vehicles. The Swedish Navy has a total of 387 ships, including 4
submarine A submarine (often shortened to sub) is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater. (It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability.) The term "submarine" is also sometimes used historically or infor ...
s (3
Gotland Gotland (; ; ''Gutland'' in Gutnish), also historically spelled Gottland or Gothland (), is Sweden's largest island. It is also a Provinces of Sweden, province/Counties of Sweden, county (Swedish län), Municipalities of Sweden, municipality, a ...
, 1
Södermanland Södermanland ( ), locally Sörmland, sometimes referred to under its Latinisation of names, Latinized form Sudermannia or Sudermania, is a Provinces of Sweden, historical province (or ) on the south eastern coast of Sweden. It borders Österg� ...
), 7 corvettes (5
Visby Visby () is an urban areas in Sweden, urban area in Sweden and the seat of Gotland Municipality in Gotland County on the island of Gotland with 24,330 inhabitants . Visby is also the episcopal see for the Diocese of Visby. The Hanseatic League, ...
, 2 Gävle), 9 minesweepers (5 Koster, 4 Styrsö), 13 larger patrol boats (2
Stockholm Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...
and 11 Tapper) and 9 specialised ships with different support duties. The rest is made up of different smaller vessels such as the CB90. Currently the Swedish Airforce has a total of 210 aircraft, 94 of those being JAS39C/D Gripen (60 JAS39E on order), 6 C130H Hercules (1 with aerial refueling capabilities), 4 SAAB 340 (2 AEW&C and 2 VIP transport), 4 Gulfstream IV (2 SIGINT and 2 VIP transport) as well as 15 UH-60 Blackhawk, 18 NH90 and 20 AgustaWestland helicopters. The rest is made up of different transport and trainer aircraft.


History

The history of the Swedish Armed Forces dates back to the early sixteenth century, when they were founded by the newly crowned monarch Gustav I Vasa. Since then, they have played an important role in the history of Sweden; they have been engaged in numerous conflicts since their founding. It was in the seventeenth century that the Swedish Armed Forces reached their height, during the time of the Swedish Empire. During this time, they were among the leaders in military innovation, and engaged in many wars; among the Swedish wars of the seventeenth century were the
Thirty Years' War The Thirty Years' War, fought primarily in Central Europe between 1618 and 1648, was one of the most destructive conflicts in History of Europe, European history. An estimated 4.5 to 8 million soldiers and civilians died from battle, famine ...
,
Second Northern War The second (symbol: s) is a unit of time derived from the division of the day first into 24 hours, then to 60 minutes, and finally to 60 seconds each (24 × 60 × 60 = 86400). The current and formal definition in the International System of ...
, Scanian War and
Great Northern War In the Great Northern War (1700–1721) a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in Northern Europe, Northern, Central Europe, Central and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the ant ...
. The
military of the Swedish Empire From 1611 to 1721, Sweden was a European great power, becoming a dominant faction in the quest for control of the Baltic Sea and a formidable military power. During this period, known as ''Stormaktstiden'' (), the Swedish Empire held a territory ...
was one of the most important institutions in the empire. After a period of enhanced readiness during
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, the Swedish Armed Forces were subject to severe downsizing during the interwar years. When
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
started, a large rearmament program was launched to once again guard Swedish neutrality, relying on mass male
conscription Conscription, also known as the draft in the United States and Israel, is the practice in which the compulsory enlistment in a national service, mainly a military service, is enforced by law. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it conti ...
as a source for personnel. After World War II, Sweden considered building
nuclear weapons A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either nuclear fission, fission (fission or atomic bomb) or a combination of fission and nuclear fusion, fusion reactions (thermonuclear weap ...
to deter a Soviet invasion. From 1945 to 1972 the Swedish government ran a clandestine nuclear weapons program under the guise of civilian defence research at the Swedish National Defence Research Institute. By the late 1950s, the work had reached the point where underground testing was feasible. However, at that time the
Riksdag The Riksdag ( , ; also or , ) is the parliament and the parliamentary sovereignty, supreme decision-making body of the Kingdom of Sweden. Since 1971, the Riksdag has been a unicameral parliament with 349 members (), elected proportional rep ...
prohibited research and development of nuclear weapons, pledging that research should be done only for the purpose of defence against nuclear attack. The option to continue development was abandoned in 1966, and Sweden subsequently signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty in 1968; the program was finally concluded in 1972. During the
Cold War The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...
, the wartime mass conscription system was kept in place to act as a deterrent to the
Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
, seen as the greatest military threat to Sweden. The end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union meant that the perceived threat lessened and the armed forces were downsized, with conscription taking in fewer and fewer recruits until it was deactivated in 2010. This small size is often considered one of the major strategic weaknesses of the Swedish Armed Forces. The Russo-Georgian War of 2008 and the events in Ukraine in 2014 gradually shifted Swedish debate back in favour of increased defence spending, as concerns grew over Russia's military buildup and intentions. Conscription was reintroduced in 2017 to supplement the insufficient number of volunteers signing up for service. Unlike in the past, the current conscription system applies to both men and women. Following the United Kingdom leaving the European Union in 2020, the EU's mutual defence clause (
Lisbon Treaty The Treaty of Lisbon (initially known as the Reform Treaty) is a European agreement that amends the two Treaty, treaties which form the constitutional basis of the European Union (EU). The Treaty of Lisbon, which was signed by all Member stat ...
Article 42.7) ceased to apply to the UK. In 2022, Sweden and the UK signed a mutual security deal, re-pledging support if either state is attacked. On June 29, 2022, Finland and Sweden were formally invited to become members of
NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...
, and joined respectively in 2023 and 2024.


Doctrine

The Swedish Armed Forces have four main tasks: # To assert the territorial integrity of Sweden. # To defend the country if attacked by a foreign nation. # To support the civil community in case of disasters (e.g. flooding). # To deploy forces to international peace support operations. Sweden aims to have the option of remaining neutral in case of proximate war. However, Sweden cooperates militarily with a number of foreign countries. As a member state of the
European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...
, Sweden is acting as the leading state for EU Battlegroups and also has a close cooperation, including joint exercises, with
NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...
through its membership in Partnership for Peace and Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council. In 2008 a partnership was initiated between the
Nordic countries The Nordic countries (also known as the Nordics or ''Norden''; ) are a geographical and cultural region in Northern Europe, as well as the Arctic Ocean, Arctic and Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic oceans. It includes the sovereign states of Denm ...
to, among other things, increase the capability of joint action, and this led to the creation of the Nordic Defence Cooperation (NORDEFCO). As a response to the expanded military cooperation the defence proposition of 2009 stated that Sweden will not remain passive if a Nordic country or a member state of the European Union were attacked. Recent political decisions have strongly emphasized the capability to participate in international operations, to the point where this has become the main short-term goal of training and equipment acquisition. However, after the 2008 South Ossetia war territorial defence was once again emphasized. Until then most units could not be mobilized within one year. In 2009 the Minister for Defence stated that in the future all of the armed forces must be capable of fully mobilizing within one week. In 2013, after Russian air exercises in close proximity to the Swedish border were widely reported, only six percent of Swedes expressed confidence in the ability of the nation to defend itself.


Organization

The Chief of Defence, formerly the Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces (, ÖB), is a four-star
general A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...
or flag officer who is the agency head of the Swedish Armed Forces and the highest ranking professional officer on active duty. The Chief of Defence reports, normally through the
Minister of Defence A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and military forces, found in states where the government is divid ...
, to the
Government of Sweden The Government of the Kingdom of Sweden () is the Cabinet (government), national cabinet of Sweden, and the country's Executive (government), executive authority. The Government consists of the Prime Minister of Sweden, Prime Minister and their ...
, which in turn answers to the
Riksdag The Riksdag ( , ; also or , ) is the parliament and the parliamentary sovereignty, supreme decision-making body of the Kingdom of Sweden. Since 1971, the Riksdag has been a unicameral parliament with 349 members (), elected proportional rep ...
. The current chief of defence is General Michael Claesson. Before the enactment of the 1974 Instrument of Government, the King of Sweden was the
de jure In law and government, ''de jure'' (; ; ) describes practices that are officially recognized by laws or other formal norms, regardless of whether the practice exists in reality. The phrase is often used in contrast with '' de facto'' ('from fa ...
commander in chief (). Since then,
King King is a royal title given to a male monarch. A king is an Absolute monarchy, absolute monarch if he holds unrestricted Government, governmental power or exercises full sovereignty over a nation. Conversely, he is a Constitutional monarchy, ...
Carl XVI Gustaf Carl XVI Gustaf (Carl Gustaf Folke Hubertus; born 30 April 1946) is King of Sweden. Having reigned since 1973, he is the longest-reigning monarch in Swedish history. Carl Gustaf was born during the reign of his paternal great-grandfather, K ...
is still considered to hold the honorary ranks of general and admiral '' à la suite'', but the role is entirely ceremonial. The Swedish Armed Forces consists of three service branches; the
Army An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...
, the
Air Force An air force in the broadest sense is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army aviati ...
and the
Navy A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the military branch, branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral z ...
, with addition of the
military reserve force A military reserve force is a military organization whose members (reservists) have military and civilian occupations. They are not normally kept under arms, and their main role is to be available when their military requires additional ma ...
Home Guard. Since 1994, the first three service branches are organized within a single unified government agency, headed by the Chief of Defence, while the Home Guard reports directly to the chief. However, the services maintain their separate identities through the use of different uniforms, ranks, and other service specific traditions.


Armed Forces Headquarters

The Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters is the highest level of command in the Swedish Armed Forces. It is led by the Chief of Defence (formerly the Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces) with a civilian director-general as his deputy, with functional directorates having different responsibilities (e.g. the Military Intelligence and Security Service). Overall, the Armed Forces Headquarters has about 2,100 employees, including civilian personnel.


Schools

Some of the schools listed below answer to other units, listed under the various branches of the Armed Forces: *Artillery Combat School (''ArtSS'') located in Boden *Armed Forces Technical School (''FMTS'') located in
Halmstad Halmstad () is a port, university, industrial and recreational urban areas of Sweden, city at the mouth of the Nissan (river), Nissan river, in the provinces of Sweden, province of Halland on the Sweden, Swedish west coast. Halmstad is the seat ...
*Air Warfare Centre (''LSS'') located in
Uppsala Uppsala ( ; ; archaically spelled ''Upsala'') is the capital of Uppsala County and the List of urban areas in Sweden by population, fourth-largest city in Sweden, after Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Malmö. It had 177,074 inhabitants in 2019. Loc ...
*Armed Forces Interpreter/Interrogator School (''TolkS'') located in
Uppsala Uppsala ( ; ; archaically spelled ''Upsala'') is the capital of Uppsala County and the List of urban areas in Sweden by population, fourth-largest city in Sweden, after Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Malmö. It had 177,074 inhabitants in 2019. Loc ...
* Swedish Defence University (''FHS'') located in Stockholm *Field Work School (''FarbS'') located in Eksjö *Air Force Air Officer School (''FBS'') located in
Uppsala Uppsala ( ; ; archaically spelled ''Upsala'') is the capital of Uppsala County and the List of urban areas in Sweden by population, fourth-largest city in Sweden, after Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Malmö. It had 177,074 inhabitants in 2019. Loc ...
* Swedish Parachute Ranger School (''FJS'') located in Karlsborg *Flight School (''FlygS'') located in Linköping/ Malmen *Helicopter Combat School (''HkpSS'') located in Linköping/ Malmen * National Home Guard Combat School (''HvSS'') located in
Södertälje Södertälje ( , ) is a Urban areas in Sweden, city in Stockholm County, Sweden and seat of Södertälje Municipality. It is also a part of Stockholm urban area, Greater Stockholm Metropolitan Area. As of 2020, it has 73,872 inhabitants. Södert� ...
*Command School (''LedS'') located in
Enköping Enköping is a locality and the seat of Enköping Municipality, Uppsala County, Sweden with 30,000 inhabitants in 2018. Geography Enköping is situated near Lake Mälaren, about 78 km west of Stockholm. A comparably large number of S ...
*Anti-Aircraft Combat School (''LvSS'') located in
Halmstad Halmstad () is a port, university, industrial and recreational urban areas of Sweden, city at the mouth of the Nissan (river), Nissan river, in the provinces of Sweden, province of Halland on the Sweden, Swedish west coast. Halmstad is the seat ...
*Military Academy Halmstad (''MHS H'') located in
Halmstad Halmstad () is a port, university, industrial and recreational urban areas of Sweden, city at the mouth of the Nissan (river), Nissan river, in the provinces of Sweden, province of Halland on the Sweden, Swedish west coast. Halmstad is the seat ...
* Military Academy Karlberg (''MHS K'') located in Stockholm/ Karlberg * Land Warfare Centre (''MSS'') located in Skövde also a detachment in Kvarn * Swedish Naval Warfare Centre (''SSS'') located in
Karlskrona Karlskrona (, , ) is a locality and the seat of Karlskrona Municipality, Blekinge County, Sweden with a population of 66,675 in 2018. It is also the capital of Blekinge County. Karlskrona is known as Sweden's only baroque city and is host to ...
and Stockholm/ Berga


Centres

* Swedish Armed Forces Centre for Defence Medicine (''FömedC'') located in
Gothenburg Gothenburg ( ; ) is the List of urban areas in Sweden by population, second-largest city in Sweden, after the capital Stockholm, and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated by the Kattegat on the west coast of Sweden, it is the gub ...
, with a section in Linköping * Swedish Armed Forces Logistics (''FMLOG'') located in Stockholm, Boden,
Karlskrona Karlskrona (, , ) is a locality and the seat of Karlskrona Municipality, Blekinge County, Sweden with a population of 66,675 in 2018. It is also the capital of Blekinge County. Karlskrona is known as Sweden's only baroque city and is host to ...
and
Arboga Arboga () is a urban areas of Sweden, locality and the seat of Arboga Municipality in Västmanland County, Sweden with 10,989 inhabitants in 2020. Overview The city of Arboga is known to have existed as a town since the 13th century but the are ...
*Armed Forces Intelligence and Security Centre (''FMUndSäkC'') located in
Uppsala Uppsala ( ; ; archaically spelled ''Upsala'') is the capital of Uppsala County and the List of urban areas in Sweden by population, fourth-largest city in Sweden, after Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Malmö. It had 177,074 inhabitants in 2019. Loc ...
*Armed Forces Musical Centre (''FöMusC'') located in Stockholm/ Kungsängen *Recruitment Centre (''RekryC'') located in Stockholm * National CBRN Defence Centre (''SkyddC'') located in Umeå *Swedish EOD and Demining Centre (''SWEDEC'') located in Eksjö *Swedish Armed Forces International Center (''Swedint'') located in Stockholm/Kungsängen


Nordic Battlegroup

The Nordic Battlegroup is a cooperative formation of the Swedish Armed Forces alongside mainly the other
Nordic countries The Nordic countries (also known as the Nordics or ''Norden''; ) are a geographical and cultural region in Northern Europe, as well as the Arctic Ocean, Arctic and Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic oceans. It includes the sovereign states of Denm ...
but also some of the Baltic countries as well as
Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
, tasked as one of the EU Battlegroups. The headquarter garrison for this group is currently situated in
Enköping Enköping is a locality and the seat of Enköping Municipality, Uppsala County, Sweden with 30,000 inhabitants in 2018. Geography Enköping is situated near Lake Mälaren, about 78 km west of Stockholm. A comparably large number of S ...
,
Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...
.


International deployments

Sweden is part of the multinational
Kosovo Force The Kosovo Force (KFOR) is a North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO-led international NATO peacekeeping, peacekeeping force and military of Kosovo. KFOR is the third security responder, after the Kosovo Police and the EU Rule of Law (European ...
and has a naval force deployed to the gulf of Aden as a part of Operation Atalanta. Military observers from Sweden have been sent to a large number of countries, including
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...
,
Lebanon Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...
,
Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
and
Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...
and Sweden also participates with staff officers to missions in
Sudan Sudan, officially the Republic of the Sudan, is a country in Northeast Africa. It borders the Central African Republic to the southwest, Chad to the west, Libya to the northwest, Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the east, Eritrea and Ethiopi ...
and
Chad Chad, officially the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of North Africa, North and Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to Chad–Libya border, the north, Sudan to Chad–Sudan border, the east, the Central Afric ...
. Sweden has been one of the Peacekeeping nations of the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission that is tasked with overseeing the truce in the
Korean Demilitarized Zone The Korean Demilitarized Zone () is a heavily militarized strip of land running across the Korea, Korean Peninsula near the 38th parallel north. The demilitarized zone (DMZ) is a border barrier that divides the peninsula roughly in half. It wa ...
since the Korean war ended in 1953.


Past deployments

Swedish air and ground forces saw combat during the Congo Crisis, as part of the United Nations Operation in the Congo force. Nine army battalions were sent in all, and their mission lasted from 1960 to 1964. A battalion and other units were deployed with the NATO-led peacekeeping SFOR in
Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...
(1996–2000), following the
Bosnian War The Bosnian War ( / Рат у Босни и Херцеговини) was an international armed conflict that took place in Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1992 and 1995. Following several earlier violent incid ...
. NORDBAT 2 has been studied as an example of
mission command Mission command, also referred to as mission-type tactics, is a style of military command, which is derived from the Prussia, Prussian-pioneered mission-type tactics doctrine, combines centralized intent with decentralized execution subsidiarity, a ...
on a chaotic battlefield with conflicting national orders. Sweden had military forces deployed in
Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...
with the
NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...
-led
International Security Assistance Force The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) was a multinational military mission in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2014. It was established by United Nations Security Council United Nations Security Council Resolution 1386, Resolution 1386 ac ...
(2002–2014), and the subsequent Resolute Support Mission (2015–2021), which ended when all NATO troops were withdrawn after 20 years of action.


Personnel


From national service to an all-volunteer force

In mid-1995, with the national service system based on universal military training, the Swedish Army consisted of 15 maneuver brigades and, in addition, 100 battalions of various sorts (artillery, engineers, rangers, air defence, amphibious, security, surveillance etc.) with a mobilization-time of between one and two days. When national service was replaced by a selective service system, fewer and fewer young men were drafted due to the reduction in size of the armed forces. By 2010 the Swedish Army had two battalions that could be mobilized within 90 days. When the volunteer system had been fully implemented by 2019, the army consisted of 7 maneuver battalions and 14 battalions of various sorts with a readiness of one week. The Home Guard was reduced in size to 22,000 soldiers. In 2019 the Swedish Armed Forces, now with a restored national service system combined with volunteer forces, aimed to reach 3 brigades as maneuver units by 2025.


Re-implementing conscription

After having ended the universal male conscription system in 2010, as well as deactivating conscription in peacetime, the conscription system was re-activated in 2017. Since 2018 both women and men are conscripted on equal terms. The motivation behind reactivating conscription was the need for personnel, as volunteer numbers proved to be insufficient to maintain the armed forces. The Swedish defence forces are currently educating 5,000-6,000 conscripts per year. However, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the defence forces stated that there is a need for significantly more than the current. By December 2022, it was announced to increase the yearly conscripted to 10,000 by the end of 2035. In addition, figures from 2022 show that 79% of Swedes support in some form, an increase in the number of people who are conscripted. 47% of the respondents said that the majority of 19/20 year-olds should perform conscription.


Personnel structure

Military personnel of the Swedish Armed Forces consists of: *Officer OFF/K – Regular continuously serving officers (OF1-OF9). *Officer OFF/T – Reserve part-time officers (OF1-OF3). *Specialistofficer SO/K – Regular continuously serving NCO (OR6-OR9). *Specialistofficer SO/T – Reserve part-time serving NCO (OR6-OR7). *GSS/K – Regular continuously serving enlisted (OR1-OR5). *GSS/T – Reserve part-time serving enlisted (OR1-OR5). *GSS/P – Personnel in wartime placement (OR1-OR5). K = Continuously T = Part-time P = Conscript, for personnel drafted under the Swedish law of comprehensive defence duty


Planned size of the Swedish Armed Forces 2011–2020

Annual recruitment of GSS is assumed to be about 4,000 persons.


Criticism and research

In 2008, professor Mats Alvesson of the University of Lund and Karl Ydén of the
University of Gothenburg The University of Gothenburg () is a List of universities in Sweden, university in Sweden's second largest city, Gothenburg. Founded in 1891, the university is the third-oldest of the current List of universities in Sweden#Public universities, S ...
claimed in an
op-ed An op-ed, short for "opposite the editorial page," is a type of written prose commonly found in newspapers, magazines, and online publications. They usually represent a writer's strong and focused opinion on an issue of relevance to a targeted a ...
, based on Ydén's doctoral dissertation, that a large part of the officer corps of the Swedish Armed Forces was preoccupied with administrative tasks instead of training soldiers or partaking in international operations. They claimed that Swedish officers were mainly focused on climbing the ranks and thereby increasing their wages and that the main way of doing this is to take more training courses, which decreases the number of officers that are specialized in their field. Therefore, the authors claimed, the Swedish Armed Forces were poorly prepared for their mission. Major changes have been made to the officer system since then. The transformation of the old invasion defence-oriented armed forces to the new smaller and more mobile force has also been criticized. According to the Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces the present defence budget will not be enough to implement the new defence structure by 2019. And that even when finished the armed forces will only be able to fight for a week at most. During 2013 several Russian Air Force exercises over the
Baltic Sea The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by the countries of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and the North European Plain, North and Central European Plain regions. It is the ...
aimed at Swedish military targets have made the future of the Swedish Armed Forces a hot topic and several political parties now want to increase defence funding. In August 2019, the government announced a bank tax to fund the military spending.


Ranks

When an
army An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...
based on national service (
conscription Conscription, also known as the draft in the United States and Israel, is the practice in which the compulsory enlistment in a national service, mainly a military service, is enforced by law. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it conti ...
) was introduced in 1901 all commissioned officers had ranks that were senior of the
warrant officer Warrant officer (WO) is a Military rank, rank or category of ranks in the armed forces of many countries. Depending on the country, service, or historical context, warrant officers are sometimes classified as the most junior of the commissioned ...
s (''underofficerare'') and
non-commissioned officer A non-commissioned officer (NCO) is an enlisted rank, enlisted leader, petty officer, or in some cases warrant officer, who does not hold a Commission (document), commission. Non-commissioned officers usually earn their position of authority b ...
s (''underbefäl''). In a reform 1926 the relative rank of the then senior warrant officer, fanjunkare, was increased to be equal with the
junior officer Junior officer, company officer or company grade officer refers to the lowest operational commissioned officer category of ranks in a military or paramilitary organization, ranking above non-commissioned officers and below senior officers. D ...
rank '' underlöjtnant'' and above the most junior officer rank ''fänrik''. In 1960 the relative rank of the
warrant officer Warrant officer (WO) is a Military rank, rank or category of ranks in the armed forces of many countries. Depending on the country, service, or historical context, warrant officers are sometimes classified as the most junior of the commissioned ...
s were elevated further so that *i. The lowest warrant officer, ''sergeant'', had relative rank just below the lowest officer rank, fänrik. *ii. The second warrant officer rank, ''fanjunkare'', had relative rank between fänrik and löjtnant *iii. The highest warrant officer rank, ''förvaltare'', had relative rank between first lieutenant and captain. In 1972 the personnel structure changed, reflecting increased responsibilities of warrant and non-commissioned officers, renaming the ''underofficerare'' as ''kompaniofficerare'', giving them the same ranks as company grade officers (''fänrik'', ''löjtnant'', '' kapten''). ''Underbefäl'' was renamed ''plutonsofficerare'' and given the rank titles of sergeant and ''fanjunkare'', although their relative rank were now placed below ''fänrik''. The commissioned officers were renamed ''regementsofficerare'', beginning with ''löjtnant''. The three-track career system was maintained, as well as three separate messes. A major change in the personnel structure in 1983 (NBO 1983), merged the three professional corps of platoon officers, company officers, and regimental officers into a one-track career system within a single corps called professional officers (''yrkesofficerare''). The three messes were also merged to one. In 2008 the
Riksdag The Riksdag ( , ; also or , ) is the parliament and the parliamentary sovereignty, supreme decision-making body of the Kingdom of Sweden. Since 1971, the Riksdag has been a unicameral parliament with 349 members (), elected proportional rep ...
decided to create a two-track career system with a category called ''specialistofficerare''. When implementing the parliamentary resolution the Supreme Commander decided that some ranks in this category should, like the old ''underofficerare'' ranks in 1960–1972, have a relative rank higher than the most junior officers.


Planned expansion


Budget and personnel numbers

The Swedish government has decided to increase the military budget to 2.6 percent of GDP by 2028. Furthermore, by 2030, they plan to increase the number of conscripts to 10,000 and to have a standing force of four
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 ...
s. In 2027, the budget for military research will increase by 50% to 1.6 billion SEK. By 2030, the number of employees is expected to increase to 115,000, and to 130,000 by 2035. Planned military budget


Equipment purchases

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...
has also put an order on 44 Leopard 2
tank A tank is an armoured fighting vehicle intended as a primary offensive weapon in front-line ground combat. Tank designs are a balance of heavy firepower, strong armour, and battlefield mobility provided by tracks and a powerful engine; ...
s and will renovate 66 of the ones they have in their current arsenal (for 22 billion SEK). Alongside these renovations, they will also modernise their Combat Vehicle 90 vehicles (until 2030). Furthermore, the armed forces have placed an order for 575
truck A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport freight, carry specialized payloads, or perform other utilitarian work. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, but the vast majority feature body-on-frame construct ...
s from Scania and
Volvo The Volvo Group (; legally Aktiebolaget Volvo, shortened to AB Volvo, stylized as VOLVO) is a Swedish multinational manufacturing corporation headquartered in Gothenburg. While its core activity is the production, distribution and sale of truck ...
. They will cost approximately 1.4 billion SEK and are expected to be delivered between 2025 and 2026. An effort to modernize the army's firearms was made in 2023 by purchasing a large quantity of weapons in collaboration with
Finland Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, ...
from the Finnish manufacturer Sako. The weapons will be delivered during a 10 year period. The Swedish Navy has placed an order for two new working ships from Astilleros Armon Vigo SA. They are expected to be delivered between 2027 and 2028 and are intended to replace HMS Pelikanen and HMS Furusund. The Swedish fleet of Stridsbåt 90s will also be strengthened, with 10 units ordered from Saab in 2024 for approximately 400 million SEK.


Structure and Leadership

The Swedish Armed Forces are led by the Supreme Commander (currently General Micael Bydén), who reports to the Government, specifically through the Minister of Defence (Pål Jonson as of late 2024). The headquarters are located in Stockholm.3 The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) plays a crucial role in procuring equipment and services, ensuring the armed forces are well-equipped to execute their missions.4 As of 2024, the Army is reorganizing and raising new units, including a 1st Division, which incorporates brigades like the Life Guards Brigade and the Skaraborg Brigade.5 Specialized units such as the Life Regiment Hussars (K 3) and Norrland Dragoon Regiment (K 4) provide ranger and intelligence capabilities, particularly vital for operations in Sweden's diverse terrain, including the subarctic north.6 The Navy continues to operate surface combatants, submarines, and amphibious units, while the Air Force maintains its fleet of advanced fighter jets and support aircraft. The Home Guard (Hemvärnet) serves as a vital territorial defense force, composed of part-time personnel and reservists.7


Personnel and Conscription

In response to the changed security climate, Sweden has significantly boosted its personnel numbers and re-emphasized conscription.8 As of 2024, Sweden maintains approximately 88,000 personnel, including active-duty members, conscripts, and reserves. There are ambitious plans to further increase the armed forces to approximately 115,000 personnel by 2030, with a long-term goal of 130,000 by 2035.9 Conscription, which was reinstated, plays a key role in this expansion. In 2023, 6,300 conscripts underwent military training annually, a number set to increase to 8,000 by 2025 and 10,000 by 2030.10 This ensures a steady stream of trained personnel to bolster both active units and the reserves.


Defense Budget and Modernization: A Historic Investment

Sweden's commitment to defense is evident in its significantly increased military expenditure.11 In 2024, the defense budget was projected to be around $12.0 billion USD, marking a 34% increase from 2023. This pushed Sweden's military burden to 2.0% of GDP, aligning with and even exceeding the NATO target in its first year of membership. The government has pledged to further raise defense expenditure to 2.6% of GDP by 2028, representing a substantial investment in military capabilities.12 This includes a loan-financed investment of approximately 300 billion SEK (€27 billion) by 2030, a historical military rearmament plan since the Cold War era.13 This increased funding is driving comprehensive modernization programs across all branches of the armed forces: * Army: A major focus is on upgrading and expanding the tank fleet. Sweden is acquiring 44 new German-made Leopard 2A8 tanks (designated Stridsvagn 123B)14 and modernizing 66 of its existing Stridsvagn 122 tanks (equivalent to Leopard 2A5) to the Stridsvagn 123A standard.15 These upgrades, worth almost 20 billion SEK (approximately $1.8 billion), include replacing electronic components, installing new L55 guns with programmable ammunition capabilities, enhanced night sights, and updated night vision for drivers.16 The modernized tanks are expected to be delivered between 2026 and 2030, with new tanks arriving from 2028 to 2031. Once completed, Sweden will possess 154 modern main battle tanks.17 Additionally, the fleet of Combat Vehicle 90 (CV90) tracked armored fighting vehicles is undergoing a modernization valued at over 5 billion SEK, to be completed by 2030. The army is also acquiring 575 new trucks from Scania and Volvo, with deliveries expected between 2025 and 2026, and has initiated a 10-year program in collaboration with Finland to modernize its firearms. Two new mechanized brigades for subarctic warfare are also under development in the northern parts of the country, aiming to be operational by 2028.18 * Navy: The Swedish Navy has placed orders for two new working ships from Astilleros Armon Vigo SA, expected for delivery between 2027 and 2028, to replace older vessels. Furthermore, the fleet of Stridsbåt 90 combat boats will be reinforced with 10 new units ordered from Saab in 2024.19 Modernization efforts also include upgrading the five Visby-class corvettes with new air defense systems, and the acquisition of three larger Luleå-class corvettes.20 In early 2025, HSwMS Ulvön became the first Swedish mine countermeasure vessel to join NATO's standing naval force. * Air Force: The Air Force is set to receive a third GlobalEye surveillance aircraft and 12 UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters, adding to its existing fleet of 15.21 The JAS 39 Gripen remains the backbone of the fighter fleet, with ongoing mid-term modifications of existing aircraft. * Hybrid Threats and Cyber Defense: Recognizing the evolving nature of warfare, Sweden is investing an additional SEK 96 million (€8.86 million) in 2025 to strengthen its capabilities against hybrid threats. This includes empowering agencies like the Swedish Coast Guard, the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency, and the Psychological Defence Agency to counter hybrid threats in various domains, including maritime and cyber.22 Sweden actively participates in international cybersecurity exercises like Locked Shields, hosted by the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre.23


NATO Membership and International Cooperation

Sweden's formal accession to NATO in March 2024 marked a historic shift in its security policy, ending two centuries of non-alignment.24 This membership fundamentally alters Sweden's role in European defense and its approach to international cooperation. * Collective Defense: As a NATO member, Sweden is now included in the collective defense guarantees under Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty. This means an attack on one member is considered an attack on all. Sweden is also obligated to contribute military and civilian resources to the collective defense effort.25 * Enhanced Military Cooperation: Sweden's military is already largely aligned with NATO at a tactical level, and membership facilitates greater strategic integration.26 Sweden now participates in NATO's decision-making processes and assumes a larger role in the alliance's presence around Northern Europe.27 This includes participating in larger and more complex joint military exercises, such as the NATO Military Committee's visit to Sweden in March 2025 to understand the country's operational environment and capabilities.28 * Bilateral and Regional Ties: Sweden has strengthened bilateral defense cooperation agreements with countries like Lithuania and Poland.29 It has also joined 16 other EU member states in a letter of intent with the European Defence Agency to develop integrated air and missile defense capabilities.30 The formation of the Joint Nordic Air Command, bringing together the front-line combat aircraft of Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark under a unified command structure, exemplifies enhanced regional cooperation.31 * Support for Ukraine: Sweden has significantly increased its military support for Ukraine, committing SEK 40 billion (€3.69 billion) in 2025, an increase of SEK 15 billion. Swedish instructors from the Home Guard and the Army have been training Ukrainian soldiers as part of the UK-led Operation Interflex since 2022.32 * International Missions: While increasingly focused on national and collective defense, the Swedish Armed Forces continue to contribute to various international peace support operations led by the UN and other multinational bodies.33 Historically, units have participated in missions in Afghanistan (Resolute Support Mission) and Kosovo (Kosovo Force). The Swedish Armed Forces are currently serving in eight countries, primarily focusing on peacekeeping and support roles.34


Total Defense Concept

Sweden maintains its "total defense" concept, which considers national infrastructure—including internet, telephony, energy, and secure supplies of food and medicine—as part of a comprehensive defense system.35 This holistic approach, which aligns with NATO guidelines for resilient societies, means that civil preparedness is a vital component of Sweden's overall defense structure.36 Every citizen between the ages of 16 and 70 may be called upon to aid society in various ways during a crisis or war, even if not directly involved in military service.37 The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) plays a key role in developing Sweden's civil defense and crisis preparedness, working closely with the Armed Forces and integrating civil preparedness efforts with NATO.38 The Swedish Armed Forces are undergoing a profound transformation, adapting to a more challenging security environment and embracing their role as a full member of NATO.39 With increased investment, personnel expansion, and advanced equipment acquisitions, Sweden is rapidly bolstering its military capabilities to ensure national security and contribute effectively to collective defense.40


Other government agencies reporting to the Ministry of Defence

* Swedish Defence Materiel Administration, or ''Försvarets materielverk (FMV)'' * Swedish National Service Administration, or ''Plikt- och prövningsverket'' * Swedish Defence University, or ''Försvarshögskolan'' * Swedish National Defence Radio Establishment, or ''Försvarets radioanstalt (FRA)'' * Swedish Defence Research Agency, or ''Totalförsvarets forskningsinstitut (FOI)'' * Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency, or ''Myndigheten för samhällsskydd och beredskap''


Voluntary defence organizations

* Home Guard * Swedish Women's Voluntary Defence Organization ("Lottorna")


See also

* Sweden–NATO relations * Scandinavian defence union * Origins of Swedish conscription system * Swedish Fortifications Agency * Swedish National Inspectorate of Strategic Products * List of wars involving Sweden


References

Manpower-numbers are taken from * Swedish Army - Wikipedia. (n.d.). Retrieved May 24, 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_Army * About FMV. (n.d.). Retrieved May 24, 2025, from https://www.fmv.se/english/about-fmv/ * Sweden unveils historical military rearmament plan - The Barents Observer. (2025, March 27). Retrieved May 24, 2025, from https://www.thebarentsobserver.com/security/sweden-unveils-historical-military-rearmament-plan/427418 * News - Swedish Armed Forces - Försvarsmakten. (n.d.). Retrieved May 24, 2025, from https://www.forsvarsmakten.se/en/news/ * Unprecedented rise in global military expenditure as European and Middle East spending surges , SIPRI. (2025, April 28). Retrieved May 24, 2025, from https://www.sipri.org/media/press-release/2025/unprecedented-rise-global-military-expenditure-european-and-middle-east-spending-surges * Overview of the Swedish Armed Forces - Defense Advancement. (2024, December 27). Retrieved May 24, 2025, from https://www.defenseadvancement.com/resources/swedish-armed-forces/ * Swedish Armed Forces - Wikipedia. (n.d.). Retrieved May 24, 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_Armed_Forces * Annual Report 2024 - Försvarsmakten. (2025, March 19). Retrieved May 24, 2025, from https://www.forsvarsmakten.se/contentassets/546bbe13064a4c739e1cbc4b5e4571f7/2024-must-annual-report.pdf * Sweden is 'no longer a country that cannot be trusted' - BBC. (2025, March 5). Retrieved May 24, 2025, from https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdjyxljyjxno * 0About NATO membership - MSB. (n.d.). Retrieved May 24, 2025, from https://www.msb.se/en/advice-for-individuals/swedish-defence/about-nato-membership/ * 1Sweden Buys More Leopard 2 Tanks As Part Of Major Defense Build-Up - The War Zone.41 (2025, January 9). Retrieved May 24, 2025, from https://www.twz.com/land/sweden-buys-more-leopard-2-tanks-as-part-of-major-defense-build-up * 2Sweden to upgrade Stridsvagn 122 tanks due to the war in Ukraine - Militarnyi. (n.d.). Retrieved May 24, 2025, from https://militarnyi.com/en/news/sweden-to-upgrade-stridsvagn-122-tanks-due-to-the-war-in-ukraine/ * 3Activities - Swedish Armed Forces - Försvarsmakten. (n.d.). Retrieved May 24, 2025, from https://www.forsvarsmakten.se/en/activities/ * 4Utveckling med fokus på det civila försvaret med det väpnade angreppet som dimensionerande – MSB:s årsredovisning för 2024 är beslutad.42 (2025, February 28). Retrieved May 24, 2025, from https://www.msb.se/sv/aktuellt/nyheter/2025/februari/utveckling-med-fokus-pa-det-civila-forsvaret-med-det-vapnade-angreppet-som-dimensionerande--msbs-arsredovisning-for-2024-ar-beslutad/


External links

* {{authority control Defence agencies of Sweden
Armed Forces A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a ...
Permanent Structured Cooperation