Army. – Mixed army of standing forces and militias. Budget of the armed forces (war, navy, air force) 111 million crowns. Supreme head of the army is the king; central, administrative and command body, the Ministry of Defense, which supervises all the armed forces and is assisted by a General Staff.
The territory is divided into: 4 dividing regions (south, west, east, north), east brigade region, upper Norrland sector, Gotland region. Troops and services are distributed there in various ways. For Sweden political system, please check politicsezine.com.
The infantry has 21 regiments (each of two or three battalions) plus 1 autonomous battalion; the cavalry, 4 regiments (each of four or five squadrons); the artillery, 5 regiments (of which 4 are divisional) and 2 autonomous campaign groups, 1 fortress regiment, 1 anti-aircraft regiment; the genius, 4 autonomous battalions; the train, 4 autonomous departments.
The staff includes, in addition to the recruits, called annually (about 27,000), the “permanent staff”, made up of career officers (about 1700), 7,200 non-commissioned officers and enlisted men; the “special reserve”, made up of officers and non-commissioned officers who leave the permanent service; the “reserve”, made up of soldiers who voluntarily commit themselves to a year of service, or to a few days of service during the following three years. There is also a “voluntary territorial reserve” made up of men between 35 and 42 years old.
Military service is compulsory, from 20 to 42 years of age. The conscripts are tied to a detention ranging from 140 days for infantry to 200 days for cavalry, artillery and engineers.
Permanent service officers are recruited through the Karlsborg Military School, from which applicants leave after 17 months of training; they are promoted to second lieutenants after two years of service in a regiment. Additional officers are drawn from high school and university graduates.
Navy. – Sweden, having had a large and powerful navy in the past, is now limited to maintaining a small, well-organized force for the defense of its coasts. This strength includes:
Battleships: 1 planned, 7685 tons. and 23 knots, armed with 4/280, 12/120 a.-a., 10/25 a.-a. and 10 machine gunners; 3 (Gustav V, Drottning Victoria, Sverige) launched in 1915-18 and modernized in 1930-35, from 6900 tons. and 22/24 knots, armed with 4/280, 8/152, 4/75 a.-a.: excellent ships for coastal defense; 7 antiquated from 3700-4600 tons.
Cruisers: Clas Fleming, launched in 1912, from 1480 tons. and 20 knots, armed with 4/120 and equipped as minelayer (it should be modernized in 1936); Fylgia, launched in 1905, of 4055 tons. and 21 knots, armed with 8/152, 10/57 and 2 underwater launch tubes of 450.
Aircraft carrier: Gotland, launched in 1933, of 4525 tons. and 28 knots, armed with 6/152, 4/75 a.-y., and 2 three-tiered launch tubes of 533, capable of carrying 8 aircraft and 100 torpedoes; Dristigheten, launched in 1900 and transformed into an aircraft carrier in 1930, of 3218 tons. and 16,8 knots, armed with 4/75 a.-a. and capable of carrying 4 seaplanes.
Destroyers: 2 (Stockholm, Gothenburg) launched in 1935, from 900-1080 tons. and 39 knots, armed with 3/120, 4/25 a.-a., and 2 three-headed launch tubes of 533; 4 (Nordenskjöld, Ehrensköld, launched in 1926, Klas Horn, Klas Uggla launched in 1931) from 880-1050 tons. and 36 knots, armed with 3/120 and two 533 three-point launch tubes; 2 (Wachtmeister, Wrangel) launched in 1917, from 460-560 tons. and 34 knots, armed with 4/75 and 6 launch tubes of 450.
Submarines: 1 (Sjölejonet) launched in 1935, of 656 tons. and 15/10 knots, armed with 4 launch tubes of 533 and 1/105; 3 (Springaren, Delfinen, Nord Kaparen) launched in 1934-35, from 490 tons. and 15/10 knots, armed with 4 launch tubes of 533 and 1/57 y.-y.; 3 (Ulven, Draken, Gripen) launched in 1926-28-30, from 656/850 tons. and 15/9 knots, armed with 4 launch tubes of 533 and 1/75; 4 (Valen, Bävern, Illern, Uttern) launched in 1921-25, from 430/650 tons. and 15/10 knots, armed with 4 launch tubes of 533 and 1/57; 8 antiquated, launched between 1914 and 1918.
Sweden also has 2 mas launched in 1925, of 12 tons. and 36 knots, 7 antiquated torpedo boats and some auxiliary and subsidiary units (submarine support vessels, training vessels, storage vessels, hydrographic and fishery protection vessels, as well as some minesweepers and minelayers). The workforce is 5400 men, well educated and moderately trained.
Military aviation. – The Swedish air force is independent, and has its own commander in chief, who is directly subordinate to the king. It consists of the General Staff, the Air Ministry, five aviation regiments, factories, etc.
The 1st Air Regiment is located in Västerås (seaplane station and land aircraft). The 2nd Regiment has its largest station in Hägernäs (Stockholm seaplane station) and a detachment in Karlskrona. The 3rd regiment is stationed at Malmen airport (Linköping). The 4th regiment is stationed at the Frösön (Östersund) airport and seaplane base. The 1st Air Regiment forms an independent force, the second cooperates with the navy and the third and fourth with the army. The flight school regiment is located at the Ljungbyhed land airport. Shooting and bombing schools are at the Rinkaby land airport, and at the Fårösund seaplane base. In addition to the aforementioned permanent stations, there are also temporary stations in Boden, Vännäs, Karlsborg, Gustavsvik, Vaxholm, Skillingaryd,
The personnel of the air force is formed partly by those of the factories and partly by personnel temporarily placed by the army and navy. Initial training lasts for one year. After this period the pupils are sent to different schools to specialize.
The devices are of the English type (Hawker Hart and Hawker Osprey), but mostly built in Sweden (four manufacturers). In northern Sweden, where communications are very limited due to the high mountains, the Air Force has set up an ambulance service in cooperation with the Swedish Red Cross. Two outpatient stations have been set up, one in Östersund and the other in Boden. Both are equipped with military seaplanes of the Junkers type, adapted to an ambulance. During the winter, which lasts seven or eight months in the far north, the devices are fitted with skis instead of floats. There is also a seaplane station in Hägernäs (Stockholm) for the ambulance service in the Stockholm archipelago.
