The following article depicts the structure of the
Swedish Armed Forces in 1989 by service branch. In wartime units would come under six multi-service military district commands. These district commands, as well as their wartime structure, can be found in their respective articles listed at
Swedish military districts.
The article was created by combining the Swedish government's 1987 request to parliament to approve a new defense structure and the adjoined five year defense plan (
Link), the same request to parliament 1992, which listed the changes undertaken between 1988 and 1992, the various handbooks of the Swedish Army about its units for recruits found on this site (
Link), and the Swedish Wikipedia articles about Swedish units histories.
Armed Forces Defense Staff
The
Defense Staff of the
Swedish Armed Forces commanded the staffs of its three services
Army,
Air Force and
Navy, as well as the
Home Guard. It also commanded the multi-service military districts and various universities, schools and logistic establishments.
The territory of
Sweden was divided into six multi-service military commands. These six
military districts (
Swedish: Militärområde, usually abbreviated to Milo) were further subdivided in
defence districts (
Swedish: Försvarsområde, usually abbreviated to Fo). In peacetime each military district commanded all units within its area of responsibility and in wartime they would also command and control of all reserve units and reinforcements in their district.
The Military District Commander (
Swedish: Militärområdesbefälhavare also militärbefälhavare), would command
Swedish Army,
Swedish Navy and
Swedish Air Force units operating in his district and direct the commanders of the defense districts in the defense of their districts.
Defence District Commanders commanded
Home Guard units in their district, which usually compromised a mix of
infantry,
engineers,
air defense and light
artillery. Unlike the military districts the defense districts were managed in peacetime by various training units of army, navy or air force.
Two geographically exposed defense districts were organized differently:
In peacetime Sweden's Army had only one active brigade. All other brigades, combat support, and combat service support units would have been activated in wartime. Recruits for the wartime units were trained by the army's regiments dispersed all over the nation. These regiments were under administrative control of the
Army Staff in Stockholm, which oversaw training, doctrine and procurement.
Army in 1989
In 1989 the following regiments were active and trained recruits for the Army's wartime organization:
The Army Aviation consisted of two battalions with 79 helicopters and two planes. Additionally the army had 11
FPL 61 observation planes, which were transferred to the air force in 1989.
AF 1 - Norrbotten Army Aviation Battalion, at Boden Helicopter Airfield, with
Bell 204C and
Bell 206A utility helicopters, and one squadron of 10x
Bo 105CB3 anti-tank helicopters
Almost all units of the Swedish Army were not manned during peacetime. The only exception was the PB -18
Gotland Brigade, which was fully manned at all times. Usually brigades recruited their personnel in the
county where they were based, with the exception of the Gotland Brigade, whose men came from all of Sweden.
The 1987 Swedish Defense bills lists the following wartime strength for the Swedish Army:[2]
400-500 independent companies organized in 85 local defence battalions of the
Swedish Home Guard, mainly used for defence of important military installations such as airfields, bridges, ports or other important civilian infrastructure and often stationed with bunkers, pillboxes and gun installations.
Divisions
Besides 29 brigades the military districts would also have activated seven divisional commands to take tactical command of the ground forces in their respective military district. There were three exceptions:
Milo B would not activate a divisional command as its brigades were the army's reserve and would have been assigned to other military districts as needed.
Milo S would activate the 13th Division to take command of the four armoured brigades in Southern Sweden and then act as the army's mobile armoured reserve force.
Milo Ö would activate two division commands to handle reinforcements arriving to defend the
Stockholm area.
The Swedish Army had four brigade types in 1989. Two types of infantry brigade, one type of armoured brigade and the type Norrland brigade. Two brigades had unique structures, as their tasks differed from all other brigades:
PB 18 -
Gotland Brigade, in
Visby tasked with the defense of
Gotland fielded five instead of three maneuver battalions, however with only one tank company per armoured battalion.
Unlike all other brigades PB 18 -
Gotland Brigade was fully manned even in peacetime.
Armoured Brigade 63
Armoured Brigade Type 63M Structure (click to enlarge)
Sweden fielded four Type 63 armoured brigades. Each brigade had around 5,600 men and they were concentrated in the country's South.
Armoured Logistic Battalion Staff and Armoured Logistic Battalion Staff Company (Pansarunderhållsbataljonsstab med pansarunderhållsbataljonsstabskompani)
Armoured Transport Company (Pansartransportkompani)
Armoured Repair Company (Pansarreparationskompani)
Armoured Quartermaster Company (Pansarintendenturkompani)
Armoured Medical Company (Pansarsjukvårdskompani)
Light Armoured Logistic Company (Lätt Pansarunderhållskompani)
1st Armoured Anti-tank Company (Pansarvärnskompani), 137 men, 8x
BILL 1anti-tank guided missile launchers, 220 anti-tank mines
2nd Armoured Anti-tank Company (Pansarvärnskompani), 137 men, 8x
BILL 1anti-tank guided missile launchers, 220 anti-tank mines
Brigade Air Defense Company (Brigadluftvärnskompani), 154 men, 18x
RBS 70MANPADS
The Howitzer, Engineer and Logistic Battalion had the same number as the brigade. The same applies to the Reconnaissance and Air Defense companies, and the companies of the Logistic Battalion. The two anti-tank companies combined the brigades number with 1 and 2: e.g. the PB 8's anti-tank companies were numbered 81st and 82nd. The companies of the Engineer Battalion carried the same number as the brigade, with the exception of the 2nd Armoured Engineer Company, which had the brigade's number +100: e.g. the PB 8's armoured engineer companies were numbered 8th and 108th.
Infantry Brigade 66
Infantry Brigade Type 66M Structure (click to enlarge)
Sweden fielded eight Type 66M infantry brigades. Each brigade had around 6,000 men. Type 66M brigades were second-line brigades equipped with older equipment. All of the Type 66M brigades were disbanded at the end of the
Cold War. The difference between the original Type 66 and later Type 66M brigades was the addition of one
Bandvagn 202 per infantry platoon.
Infantry Brigade
Infantry Brigade Staff (Infanteribrigadstab)
3x Infantry Battalions (Skyttebataljon)
Infantry Battalion Staff and Infantry Battalion Staff Company (Infanteribataljonsstab med infanteribataljonsstabskompani)
4x Infantry Companies (Skyttekompani), in trucks and
Bandvagn 202
Heavy Mortar Company (Tungt Granatkastarkompani), 4x 120mm
Krh/40 mortars
Infantry Howitzer Battalion Staff and Infantry Howitzer Battalion Staff Company (Infanterihaubitsbataljonsstab med infanterihaubitsbataljonsstabskompani)
Infantry Logistic Battalion Staff and Infantry Logistic Battalion Staff Company (Infanteriunderhållsbataljonsstab med infanteriunderhållsbataljonsstabskompani)
Infantry Transport Company (Infanteritransportkompani)
Infantry Repair Company (Infanterireparationskompani)
Infantry Quartermaster Company (Infanteriintendenturkompani)
Infantry Medical Company (Infanterisjukvårdskompani)
Light Infantry Logistic Company (Lätt Infanteriunderhållskompani)
Infantry Reconnaissance Company (Infanterispaningskompani)
Infantry Air Defense Company (Infanteriluftvärnskompani), 9x
RBS 70MANPADS, 9x 20mm
m/40-70 automatic cannons
Infantry Brigade 77
Infantry Brigade Type 77 Structure (click to enlarge)
Sweden fielded ten Type 77 infantry brigades. Each brigade had around 5,200 men. Type 77 brigades were first-line brigades equipped with the newest equipment.
Brigade Logistic Battalion (Brigadunderhållsbataljon), 700 men
Brigade Logistic Battalion Staff and Brigade Logistic Battalion Staff Company (Brigadunderhållsbataljonsstab med brigadunderhållsbataljonsstabskompani)
Brigade Transport Company (Brigadtransportkompani)
Brigade Repair and Quartermaster Company (Brigadreparations- och intendenturkompani)
Tracked Anti-tank Company (Bandpansarvärnskompani), 133 men, 12x
Infanterikanonvagn 91
Brigade Air Defense Company (Brigadluftvärnskompani), 216 men, 9x
RBS 70MANPADS, 9x 20mm
m/40-70 automatic cannons
Norrland Brigade 85
Norrland Brigade Type 85 Structure (click to enlarge)
Sweden fielded five Type 85 Norrland brigades. Each Norrland had around 5,500 men. Type 85 brigades were first-line units equipped with the newest equipment and trained specifically for ski, arctic and winter warfare, as well as partisan tactics. The entire infantry of the brigade was transported with
Bandvagn 202 vehicles, providing the brigade with off-road mobility and Sweden's North. The brigades were based in
Norrland and the adjoining
Dalarna County.
Norrland Battalion Staff, and Norrland Battalion Staff and Mortar Company (Norrlands skyttebataljonsstab och granatkastarkompani), 6x 120mm
Krh/40 mortars
Norrland Howitzer Battalion (Norrlands haubitsbataljon), 564 men
Norrland Howitzer Battalion Staff and Norrland Howitzer Battalion Staff Company (Norrlands haubitsbataljonsstab med Norrlands haubitsbataljonsstabskompani)
Norrland Howitzer Supply Company (Norrlands haubitstrosskompani)
Norrland Engineer Battalion (Norrlands ingenjörsbataljon), 532 men, over 14,000 mines
Norrland Engineer Battalion Staff, and Norrland Engineer Battalion Staff and Supply Company (Norrlands ingenjörbataljonsstab med Norrlands ingenjörsbataljonsstabs- och trosskompani)
Heavy Norrland Engineer Company (Tungt Norrlands ingenjörkompani)
Light Norrland Engineer Company (Lätt Norrlands ingenjörkompani)
Norrland Engineer Equipment Company (Norrlands ingenjörsmaskinkompani)
Norrland Logistic Battalion (Norrlands underhållsbataljon), 768 men
Norrland Logistic Battalion Staff and Norrland Logistic Battalion Staff Company (Norrlands underhållsbataljonsstab med Norrlands underhållsbataljonsstabskompani)
Norrland Ammunition and Transport Company (Norrlands ammunitions- och transportkompani)
Norrland Repair and Quartermaster Company (Norrlands reparations- och intendenturkompani)
Norrland Medical Company (Norrlandssjukvårdskompani)
The only unit under direct command of the
Air Force's
Air Staff was the E 1 -
1st Attack Group (E 1 - Attackeskadern), which fielded the air force's strike aircraft. All other wings were under command of the four air defense sectors. The air force's wartime strength as approved the
Swedish Parliament in 1987 was:[6]
7x Fighter squadrons, with
JA 37 Viggen fighter aircraft
4x Fighter squadrons, with
J 35J Draken fighter aircraft
5.5x Attack squadrons, with
AJ 37 Viggen attack aircraft
3x Reconnaissance squadrons, with
SF 37 Viggen photo reconnaissance aircraft and
SH 37 Viggen maritime reconnaissance/strike aircraft
4x Light attack squadrons, with
Saab 105A advanced jet trainers
By 1989 the air force had deactivated one J 35J Draken squadron because of the age of the Draken fighters, while adding another JA 37 Viggen squadron in its stead. The four squadrons of the
Swedish Air Force Flying School would have become the four light attack squadrons in case of war.
Air Force in 1989
In 1989 the air force fielded the following operational units and commands:
2x
AS332M1 Super Puma - eight more delivered in 1990/91 as replacement for the CH-46B Sea Knights
Additionally the air force kept nearly 500 Draken jets as operational reserve in storage.
In wartime the air force would have fielded 11x Command and Surveillance battalions, and 33x Ground Support and Maintenance battalions, which would have manned air bases in the
Bas 60 and
Bas 90 air base system.
By 1989 the navy had begun to reduce the number of divisions and combined the eight small helicopter divisions in three larger helicopter groups. The coastal corvette/missile boat divisions were reduced to three and the minelaying and minesweeping divisions were reduced to four.
Navy in 1989
In 1989 the navy fielded the following operational units and commands:
Sweden's coastal artillery was tasked with preventing amphibious landings of enemy forces on Sweden's coast. To fulfill its mission the coastal artillery would have fielded in wartime a varied mix of units:
6x mobile cordon battalions (Rörliga Spärrbataljon), with one battery of 3x mobile 75mm
m/65 guns, one battery with light
Robot 52 anti-ship missiles and a mining platoon
3x coastal artillery battalions (Kustartillerietbataljon), with three batteries of 4x mobile 120mm
M/80 cannons each
4x coastal missile batteries (Kustrobotbatteri), with
Robot 08 anti-ship missiles (later reduced to one battery with
Robot 15 missiles)
?x mobile cordon companies (Rörliga Spärrkompani), a light Robot 52 anti-ship missile platoon and a mining platoon, both with their organic boat transport
1x coastal artillery battery (Kustartillerietbatteri), with 3x mobile 152mm
M/37 cannons
In peacetime troops destined for the coastal artillery units were trained by five coastal artillery regiments:
1st Coastal Artillery Battalion with three batteries with 4x mobile 120mm
M/80 cannons each for
Scania
3rd Coastal Artillery Battalion with three batteries with 4x mobile 120mm M/80 cannons each for
Blekinge
1st Mobile Cordon Battalion with one battery with 3x mobile 75mm
m/65 guns, one battery with light
Robot 52 anti-ship missiles, and a mining platoon in
Västervik to defend the
Orrfjärd Navy Base
6th Mobile Cordon Battalion with one battery with 3x mobile 75mm m/65 guns, one battery with light Robot 52 anti-ship missiles, and a mining platoon for the Eastern coast of
Scania
Heavy Coastal Missile Battery with
Robot 08 anti-ship missiles
Unknown number of Mobile Cordon Companies consisting of a light Robot 52 anti-ship missile platoon, and a mining platoon
Cordon Battalion
Hemsön covering the Hemsön Naval Base near
Härnösand, with three twin 152mm m/51 coastal artillery guns, and two 75mm
Tornpjäs m/57 batteries on Hemsön and
Härnön islands
Cordon Battalion
Gävle, with a battery of four 152mm m/98 turreted cannons and two batteries of three 75mm m/05-10 coastal canons each
Cordon Battalion
Sundsvall, with a battery of three 152mm m/98 turreted cannons, two batteries of three 75mm m/05-10 coastal canons each, and one 75mm Tornpjäs m/57 battery in
Nyhamn
Cordon Battalion
Luleå, with a battery of three 152mm m/98 turreted cannons and a battery of three of 57mm m/89 rapid fire guns
12th Helicopter Group, at
Säve Airfield with CH-46B Sea Knight anti-submarine and Bell 206B utility helicopters
13th Helicopter Group, at
Ronneby Airfield with CH-46B Sea Knight anti-submarine and Bell 206B utility helicopters, and one
CASA C-212 Aviocar in anti-submarine configuration
In 1989 the naval aviation's inventory consisted of:[1]
The
Swedish Home Guard provided troops for local defense. Home Guard units were under command of the Defense District Commanders and usually were a mix of
infantry,
engineers,
air defense and light
artillery. In 1989 the Home Guard could field 85 battalions with 100,000 men.