Sweden played a role of major importance during the Cold War, despite not officially participating. Sweden's location made it an ideal base of operations for both the Soviet Union and the United States. Sweden was never invaded throughout the war, mainly due to their strong defensive power - ranked among the top five in the world at this time.
| Name | Image | Origin | Type | Quantity | Years in service | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uniforms and Gears | |||||||
| m/1952 | Service dress uniform | Unknown | 1952-???? | ||||
| m/1954 | Guard duty uniform | Unknown | 1954-???? | Kit consisted of a white helmet, belt, gloves and ankle gaiters. "White outfit m/1954" was a collective term for the kit. It was used by the army together with uniform m/1952 and later to uniform m/1960 for guard duty.[1] | |||
| m/1958 | Combat uniform | Unknown | 1958-???? | Produced in parallel with m/1959 uniform. Intended for winter use.[2] | |||
| m/1959 | Combat uniform | Unknown | 1958-???? | Intended for summer use. | |||
| Combat Helmets | |||||||
| m/1921 | Steel helmet | Unknown | 1921-???? | ||||
| m/1926 | Steel helmet | Unknown | 1926-???? | Used primarily by the Swedish Civil Defense. | |||
| m/1937 | Steel helmet | Unknown | 1937-1990s | The m/1937 would see modernization in 1965, with an updated liner. | |||
| m/1990 | Kevlar helmet | Unknown | 1990s-???? | Two versions were made that were virtually identical but had different inner linings.[3] | |||
| Name | Origin | Type | Versions | Quantity | Years in service | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semi-automatic pistol | Pistol m/38 | 1,500 | 1939-???? | Walther-built Model HP | |||
| Semi-automatic pistol | Pistol m/40 Pistol m/40B | 100,000 | 1940-1990s | License-built Lahti L-35, manufactured by Husqvarna | |||
| Semi-automatic pistol | Glock 17 (pist 88) Glock 19 (pist 88B) | Unknown | 1980s-present | Modern standard-issue sidearm | |||
| Submachine gun | Kpist m/37 kpist m37-39 | 35,000 | 1939-1980s | 9 mm Browning Long 9 mm Parabellum | |||
| Submachine gun | M39 | Unknown | 1940s-???? | - | |||
| Submachine gun | MP 18 | Unknown | 1920s-???? | - | |||
| Submachine gun | M/45 M/45B M/45C M/45BE M/45BET M/45S | Unknown | 1945–2007 | Standard version Minor improvements Comes equipped with a bayonet mount Selective-fire version, used by police Comes equipped with a tear gas launcher Uses a 50-round coffin magazine | |||
| Bolt-action rifle | M/1894 M/1896 M/1938 M/1941 M/1941B | 127,000 535,000 88,000 5,300 5,300 | 1895-1980s | - | |||
| Gevär m/39 gevär m/40 | Bolt-action anti-tank rifle | Kar 98k | 5,000 | 1939-1970s | Rechambered from the original 8 × 57 IS to 8×63mm patron m/32 | ||
| Self-loading rifle | Ag m/42A Ag m/42B | Unknown | 1942–1965 | - | |||
| Battle rifle | AK4 AK4B AK4OR | Unknown | 1965–present | Standard version Equipped with Aimpoint red dot sight Equipped with 4×24 telescopic sight | |||
| Automatkarbin 5 | Assault rifle Designated marksman rifle Assault rifle Assault rifle Carbine Police combat rifle | FFV Ak 5 FFV Ak 5B Bofors Ak 5C Bofors Ak 5CF Bofors Ak 5D CGA5P | Unknown Unknown Unknown 40,000 Unknown Unknown | 1986–present | Modern standard-issue assault rifle 4× tritium sight Multiple modifications by Bofors Multiple modifications by Bofors Lightweight carbine version Semi-automatic version with improved accuracy | ||
| Kulsprutegevär m/21 Kg m/37, kg m/21-37 | / | Automatic rifle | Model 1919 | Unknown | 1921–1980 | - | |
| Automatic rifle | KG m/40 | 5,000 | 1940-???? | - | |||
| Medium machine gun | Kulspruta m/41 | Unknown | 1910s-1940s | - | |||
| General-purpose machine gun | Ksp 58 Ksp 58B Ksp 58 Strv | Unknown | 1958–present 1972–present 1958-1990s | Standard version Rechambered to 7.62×51mm NATO Equipped for the Strv 103 | |||
| Light machine gun | Ksp 90 Ksp 90B | Unknown | 1980s-present | - | |||
| Squad automatic weapon | Ksp 95 | Unknown | 1980s-present | - | |||
| Medium machine gun | Ksp m/39 | Unknown | 1940s-present | - | |||
| General-purpose machine gun | Ksp m/94 | Unknown | 1960s-present | - | |||
| Heavy machine gun | Tksp 12,7 mm | Unknown | 1940s-present | - | |||
| Automatic grenade launcher | Grsp 40 mm | Unknown | 1970s-present | - | |||
| Grenade launcher | M203 | Unknown | 1970s-present | - | |||
| Multirole recoilless rifle | Grg m/48 | Unknown | 1948–present | Then standard-issue rocket launcher/anti-tank weapon | |||
| Recoilless anti-tank weapon | Raketgevär 46 | Unknown | 1940s-1960s | - | |||
| Recoilless anti-tank weapon | Pskott m/68 | Unknown | 1968-1980s | - | |||
| Man-portable air-defence system | RBS 69 | Unknown | 1968-1990s | - | |||
| Man-portable air-defence system | RBS 70 | Unknown | 1977–present | - | |||
The Swedish army during the Cold War possessed more or less 24,000 ground vehicles, including 2,354 tanks, 1,257 armored fighting vehicles, and up to 20,000 utility vehicles.
| Vehicle | Origin | Type | Versions | Quantity | Years in service | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4×4 infantry truck 4×4 infantry truck 4×4 communications vehicle 4×4 anti-tank vehicle ATGM carrier Firefighting vehicle | Pltgb 903 Pltgb 903B Raptgb 9033 Pvpjtgb 9031 Pvrbtgb 9032 Brtgb 921 | Thousands | 1959-1977 | - - - Equipped with the Pvpj 1110 90mm recoilless gun Equipped with the Robot 53 ATGM - | |||
| 4×4 infantry truck 4×4 anti-tank vehicle 6×6 communications vehicle 6×6 infantry truck 6×6 communications vehicle 6×6 ambulance 6×6 artillery spotter 6×6 armored personnel carrier MANPADS carrier | Tgb 11 Tgb 1111 Tgb 1112 Tgb 13 Tgb 1313 Tgb 1314 Tgb 1321 Tgb 21 Tgb 22 | Roughly 6,500 | 1967–present | - Equipped with the Pvpj 1110 90mm recoilless gun - - - - - - Equipped with the RBS 70 | |||
| Tracked all-terrain vehicle | 5,000 | 1964–present | - | ||||
| All-terrain carrier Military ambulance Military firefighting apparatus Improved intelligence vehicle Mobile military radio transmitter | Bv 206 Bv 206A Bv 206F Bv 2064 Bv2068 | 4,500 | 1980-present | - | |||
| Armoured car | Pbil m/39 Pbil m/40 | 15 30 | 1939-1956 1939-1960s | Standard version Powered by a Volvo engine | |||
| Armoured car | L-180 | 5 | 1933–1980 | - | |||
| Armored personnel carrier | SKP VKP | 262 100 | 1944–2004 | Manufactured by Scania-Vabis Manufactured by Volvo | |||
| Armored personnel carrier | 185 | 1961–1971 | - | ||||
| Armored personnel carrier | 400+ | 1965–2014 | - | ||||
| Armored personnel carrier Command vehicle Armored personnel carrier | XA-180S XA-202S XA-203S | 200 | 1980s–present | - - Armed with a 20mm auto cannon | |||
| Infantry support vehicle | Ikv 91 Ikv 105 | 212 | 1975–2002 | - Prototype with a 105mm anti-tank gun | |||
| Tankette | Strv m/37 | 48 | 1938–1953 | License-built version of the AH-IV | |||
| Light tank | Strv m/38 Strv m/39 Strv m/40 Strv m/40L Strv m/40K | 15 20 ? 100 80 | 1939-???? 1940-???? ????-???? 1941-???? 1944-???? | - | |||
| Medium tank | Strv m/41 | 238 | 1942-1950s | License-built, slightly upgraded version of the Panzer 38(t) | |||
| Medium tank | Lago I (Strv m/42) Lago II (Strv m/42 TM) Lago III (Strv m/42 TH) Lago IV (Strv m/42 EH) | 342 total | 1943-???? 1943-???? 1944-???? 1944-???? | Standard version Two engines and electromagnetic gearbox Two engines and two hydraulic gearboxes One engine and a hydraulic gearbox | |||
| Medium tank | Strv 74 H Strv 74 V | 659 | 1958-1984 | - | |||
| Main battle tank | Strv 81 Strv 101 Strv 101R Strv 102 Strv 102R Strv 104 | 350 total | 1953-1992 | ||||
| Main battle tank | Strv 103A Strv 103B Strv 103C Strv 103D | 290 | 1967-1997 1970s-1997 1986-1997 1990s | Standard version Enhanced engine Enhanced engine and laser rangefinder Modernized prototype, only 1 built | |||
| Name | Origin | Type | Versions | Quantity | Years in service | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M/41D | Heavy mortar | 219 | 1941–present | 120mm caliber mortar | |||
| Haubits FH77 | Towed howitzer | FH77 A FH77 B | 220 | 1978-2006 | |||
| Mobile anti-tank gun | Unknown | 1980s-present | Equipped with Pvpj 1110 90mm recoilless gun | ||||
| ATGM carrier | Unknown | 1980s-present | Equipped with Rbs 55 or Rbs 56 | ||||
| Self-propelled artillery | Bkan 1A Bkan 1C | 26 | 1967-2003 | - | |||
| Anti-aircraft autocannon | Bofors L/60 Bofors L/70 | Unknown | 1934–present | - | |||
| Surface-to-air missile | RBS 77 RBS 97 | 8 launchers | 1960s-present | Unknown number of missiles, at least 24 | |||
| MANPADS carrier | 49 | 1980s-2000 | Equipped with RBS 70[4] | ||||
The eastern coast of Sweden, along a length of more than 1500 kilometres, probably had the most powerful coastal defence system in the world. The system consisted of coastal artillery, submarines, battleships and aircraft. No less than 90 heavy cannons (typically 7.5 cm cannons) with large underground facilities were strategically located along the coast, together with a large number of bunkers and pillboxes.
The Swedish navy possessed a total of 129 ships between 1945 and 1991.
| Ship | Origin | Type | Names | Quantity | Years in service | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gotland class | Seaplane cruiser | 1 | 1933-1963 | Could carry 8 aircraft | |||
| Dristigheten class | Seaplane cruiser | 1 | 1901-1947 | Could carry 2 aircraft | |||
Sweden possessed four cruisers throughout the Cold War.
| Ship | Origin | Type | Names | Quantity | Years in service | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clas Fleming class | Mine cruiser | 1 | 1912-1960 | - | |||
| Fylgia class | Armored cruiser | 1 | 1907-1957 | - | |||
| | Cruiser | 2 | 1944-1964 1945-1971 | - | |||
Sweden had a total of 35 destroyer-class vessels throughout the Cold War, most of them World War II models. As time went on, Sweden begun to put less effort in keeping large surface combatants and instead increasingly relied on patrol boats, fast attack craft, coastal artillery and air superiority. However this approach (especially the overreliance on lighter surface combatants) was somewhat discredited by the early 1980s. Attempts were then made to move back towards heavier more capable surface combatants (e.g. the Ytstridsfartyg Större [Surface Combatant Large] program), but this was ultimately curtailed by the sudden end to the Cold War.
Destroyers in 1945: 28
Destroyers in 1950: 21
Destroyers in 1960: 24
Destroyers in 1970: 17
Destroyers in 1980: 13
Destroyers in 1991: 0
| Ship | Origin | Type | Names | Quantity | Years in service | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | Destroyer | 2 | 1927-1963 | - | |||
| | Destroyer | HSwMS Göteborg HSwMS Stockholm HSwMS Malmö HSwMS Karlskrona HSwMS Norrköping HSwMS Gävle | 6 | 1936-1962 1937-1965 1939-1970 1940-1979 1941-1965 1941-1968 | - | ||
| | Destroyer | HSwMS Halland | 2 | 1955-1985 1956-1979 | - | ||
| | Destroyer | HSwMS Hugin HSwMS Munin | 2 | 1911-1947 1911-1946 | - | ||
| | Destroyer | HSwMS Klas Horn | 1 | 1932-1958 | - | ||
| | Destroyer | 4 | 1942-1966 1942-1970 1942-1968 1942-1966 | All converted to frigates in 1953/1957 | |||
| | Destroyer | HSwMS Romulus | 2 | 1934-1958 1934-1958 | - | ||
| Destroyer | 2 | 1926-1947 1926-1947 | - | ||||
| Destroyer | HSwMS Ragnar HSwMS Sigurd HSwMS Vidar | 3 | 1910-1947 | - | |||
| | Destroyer | HSwMS Hälsingborg HSwMS Kalmar HSwMS Visby | 4 | 1942-1982 | - | ||
| | Destroyer | 2 | 1918-1947 | - | |||
| | Destroyer | HSwMS Uppland HSwMS Öland | 2 | 1947-1979 | - | ||
| | Destroyer | HSwMS Gästrikland HSwMS Hälsingland HSwMS Södermanland HSwMS Östergötland | 4 | 1955-1982 | - | ||
The Swedish navy maintained 7 coastal defense ships after World War II, though some were taken out of service shortly after.
The Swedish navy had as few as six corvettes in service during the Cold War, relying on larger vessels during this time.
Sweden possessed 19 mine warfare vessels throughout the time period 1945–1991.
Seventeen patrol boats were in service in the Royal Swedish Navy between 1945 and 1991.
Sweden had 12 torpedo boats during the Cold War.
Sweden had a total of 26 submarines throughout the Cold War.
Sweden had a huge air force - the fourth largest in the world - throughout the Cold War, consisting of more than 4,000 aircraft. Out of these, no less than 3,574 aircraft were armed fighters along with many hundred bombers.[5]
| Name | Origin | Type | Versions | Quantity | In service | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fighter aircraft | J 9 | 60 | 1940–1951 | Sweden's first monoplane aircraft | |||
| Italy | Biplane fighter aircraft | J 11 | 72 | 1940–1946 | - | ||
| Fighter aircraft Fighter aircraft Attack aircraft Experimental aircraft | J 21A-1 J 21A-2 J21A-3 J 21B | 54 124 132 0 | 1945–1949 1946-1954 1947-1954 1940s | - | |||
| Fighter and attack aircraft | J 21R | 64 | 1945–1956 | Sweden's first indigenous jet fighter | |||
| Fighter aircraft | J 22A J 22B | 143 55 | 1942–1952 | Numbers may not be correct for the World War II era; some may have been built in 1946 | |||
| Fighter aircraft | P-51B P-51D | 2 52 | 1945–1954 | Originally P-51 Mustang, another 111 aircraft purchased immediately after the war | |||
| Fighter aircraft | J 28A J 28B J 28C | 70 310 57 | 1946-1956 | 1st generation jet fighter; 437 total | |||
| Experimental aircraft Fighter aircraft Fighter aircraft Attack aircraft Reconnaissance aircraft Experimental aircraft Fighter aircraft Fighter aircraft | J 29 J 29A J 29B A 29B S 29C J 29D J 29D J 29F | 4 224 332 ? 76 1 29 308 | 1949-1976 | 1st generation jet fighter; 666+ total | |||
| Fighter and reconnaissance aircraft | S 31 | 50 | 1946-1950s | - | |||
| Attack aircraft All-weather fighter Maritime reconnaissance aircraft Target tug aircraft ECM aircraft Fighter aircraft Fighter aircraft | A 32A J 32B S 32C J 32D J 32E J 32AD J 32U | 287 120 45 6 14 0 0 | 1956-1997 | 452 built | |||
| Fighter and attack aircraft | J 34 | 120 | 1946-1956 | 2nd generation jet fighter | |||
| Fighter aircraft Fighter aircraft Trainer aircraft Fighter aircraft Reconnaissance aircraft Fighter aircraft Fighter aircraft | J 35A J 35B SK 35C J 35D S 35E J 35F J 35J | 90 73 25 120 60 230 66 | 1955-1998 | 651 built | |||
| Attack aircraft -"- Trainer aircraft -"- Reconnaissance aircraft -"- Fighter aircraft -"- -"- -"- | AJ 37 AJS 37 SK 37 SK 37E SF 37 SH 37 JA 37 JA 37C JA 37D JA 37DI | 329 total | 1971-2005 | Some air combat capability Upgraded AJ, with recce pod available Schooling aircraft, trainer Upgraded SK, EW capability added Photo-Reconnaissance Radar-based sea reconnaissance Fighter with limited ground attack capability. -"- -"- Digital instrumentation for JAS 39 development | |||
The need for safe storage of large quantities of oil to support anticipated use of military equipment led to creative solutions, in particular the use of undressed rock chambers, the full environmental effects of which have not yet been ascertained.[6]