The Defence Act of 2000 (prop. 1999/2000:30) was a defence act passed by the Swedish Riksdag on 30 March 2000, and the largest reorganisation of the Swedish Armed Forces since the Defence Act of 1925. The act was a continuation of the policies set in motion by the Defence Act of 1996: shifting the military's focus from the defence of Swedish territory to a more flexible "operational defence" (Swedish: insatsförsvar) for smaller-scale peacekeeping operations in foreign nations. Many military formations were disbanded as a result.
Summary
The future organisation decided by the act included, up until 2004, the following military units:
- A headquarters, an operational command, and four military district commands.
- An army divisional command, formed of an NBC task force and two rifle battalions.
- 6 army brigade commands, 16 mechanised battalions, 4 air defence battalions, 4 howitzer battalions, 4 pioneer battalions, 4 maintenance battalions, 6 urban warfare battalions and 1 battalion of paratroopers.
- 2 surface flotillas with a combined total of 12 surface vessels.
- 1 submarine flotilla with 5 submarines.
- A minesweeper flotilla.
- An amphibious brigade command and 3 amphibious battalions.
- 8 divisions of JAS 39 Gripen jets.
- 2 helicopter battalions, one with a focus on ground operations and another with a focus on naval operations.
- National Defence Troops, including among others 12 ground combat battalions and elements of the Home Guard.
Disbanded units, commands and academies
Armed Forces Commands
Military districts (MilitäromrÃÂ¥den)
Divisions
Service Branch Commands (försvarsgrensstaber)
Army
Infantry regiments
Infantry Brigades/Norrland Brigades
Cavalry
Armoured troops
Mechanised brigades
Artillery
Air Defence troops
Combat engineers
Signal troops
Army Service Troops (trängtrupperna)<br />
Air Force
Navy
Established units, commands and academies
Armed Forces Commands
Army
Artillery
Infantry/Cavalry
Navy
Fleet
Amphibious Corps
Military district groups
Footnotes
References
Further reading
External links