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The future threat situation will be much more complex and require a defence capable of meeting threats and armed attacks.
Photo: Joel Thunberg/Swedish Armed Forces
The Swedish Armed Forces (SwAF) recently submitted its Long-term Defence Outlook 2022 to the government. The study is the result of extensive analysis and proposals that form the basis of the continued political decision-making.
The outlook study presents the future structure of the SwAF, which will entail a significant contribution to Nato’s capability, particularly in northern Europe.
"The outlook study presents a very complex future threat situation. It will require a defence capable of managing threats and attacks. That is why the capability build-up must continue", says Johan Pekkari, deputy head of the SwAF Planning Department.
Russia is still perceived as the major threat in the region, therefore the SwAF must be flexible and continuously able to adapt the changing threat situation and the ever more complex operational environment. All service branches are proposed to be reinforced by more capabilities and the development of logistics, command and control, and security protection must be able to contribute to perseverance, rapid reaction and robustness of the SwAF.
"The tech development is so fast and it’s going in the direction of remote-controlled autonomous systems, as well as long-distance weapon systems. Space capability, digitalisation and energy transformation are other important technical areas that will have a great impact on the future military defence force", says Johan Pekkari.
The Long-Term Defence Outlook 2022 accounts for different ways for the SwAF to develop, as well as provides a defence concept stating the requirements of the desired 2045 defence capability.
The conclusion is that the development of the warfare capability needs to continue in order for the SwAF to be able to meet the complex and rapidly changing threat situation.