Participation in international missions requires:
- Units with rapid response capability in collaboration with other nations
- Units on a relatively high state of readiness for missions of limited duration
- Capability to deliver continuous support for long-term missions.
The Swedish Armed Forces seeks to maintain mission units with varying degrees of readiness. Selected units are on standby to be called upon at short notice, (10, 30 or 90 days), for national and international deployment.
Other units are kept on standby for up to a year, to be available for domestic crisis management missions, or to reinforce or relieve units deployed on international operations.
Operational capability
In accordance with government resolutions, the Swedish Armed Forces are required to detect and repel violations of Swedish territory. Other important tasks include safeguarding various social functions and supporting society in times of crisis.
In alliance with other countries, the Swedish Armed Forces prevent and address crises outside Sweden by participating in missions to promote peace, in which mission-based units should be capable of handling the full spectrum of tasks, from creating confidence and implementing conflict prevention measures to humanitarian, peacekeeping and peace enforcing operations.
Strategic Direction
The Swedish Armed Forces Strategic Direction constitutes the Chief of Defence's overall direction of the Armed Force's operation and development.
The Strategic Direction is determined by the government's policy decisions, but has also been based on operational experience, global developments, results of operational analysis, and an operational evaluation of the Armed Force's capabilities.
The document is the basis for future operations, which in their turn influences how operations are conducted. The purpose of the Strategic Direction is to also to focus on long-term studies and defence planning.
Future Vision
The Swedish Armed Forces Future Vision defines our long-term tasks and mandate, as well as how we need to be, act and be perceived to achieve our goals. The Future Vision includes:
Our Mission
We defend Sweden and Swedish interests, our freedom and our right to live how we choose.
Our Role and Mandate
We deter – and repulse – all forms of military attack, primarily through our ability to wage armed conflict. We protect Sweden's integrity, independently and together with others. We contribute to a robust society – at times of peace, crisis and war. We are a symbol of the state of the country and its independence.
Our Values and our Military Profession
Our values are described by three central themes: openness, results and responsibility, as well as by the Swedish Armed Forces Code of Conduct that applies to all personnel. These values guide everything we do.
Our strategic impact
Our strategic impact is manifested in the real-life conditions, situations and relationships we achieve by realising our strategic plans.