Sweden has been formally welcomed as Nato’s thirty second member, ending two centuries of neutrality for the Scandinavian nation.
Stockholm utilized for membership of the alliance three months after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, lastly gaining entry after months of political haggling, primarily involving Turkey.
Forces Information now appears to be like at what Sweden brings to the Nato desk.
Geography and economic system
Sweden’s key geographical place would permit Nato forces to rapidly reinforce Norway and Finland.
It additionally has a extremely developed defence trade – a significant asset as Nato tries to rearm.
Navy dimension
Sweden’s armed forces are comparatively small, with 14,850 common personnel, supplemented by 11,450 reservists.
It has conscription – reintroduced in 2018 – however it’s small and selective, with solely round 4,000 women and men known as up.
Military
Sweden’s military has 6,850 troopers, however it’s properly outfitted. It has 110 Leopard 2 most important battle tanks, 319 CV90 infantry preventing autos and 26 Archer self-propelled howitzers.
Archer is the Swedish-designed rapid-fire artillery system that the British Military can also be shopping for. It may well interact a goal, open fireplace after which drive away in lower than 20 seconds.
Navy
Sweden’s navy is thought to be small however very succesful – greater than each different Baltic navy besides Germany’s – and tends to function solely within the Baltic Sea and alongside the nation’s west coast.
It has 2,350 naval personnel – half are sailors, half are amphibious forces – and its maritime tools consists of 4 submarines, 5 corvettes and 7 mine warfare ships.
Sweden’s Gotland-class submarines have a distinctive engine that makes use of the ability generated by increasing and contracting gases to drive the sub’s programs.
It makes them significantly quiet and means they don’t have to floor for weeks.
Air Power
Sweden may even convey its spectacular air pressure to the alliance, which incorporates 2,700 air pressure personnel and 6 squadrons of Gripen multi-role fighter jets, produced by Swedish producer Saab.
Sweden’s air pressure operates 96 Gripens, together with a couple of of the newer E mannequin with upgraded avionics and sensor programs. It is going to ultimately obtain 60 of this newer plane.
The Gripen is taken into account one of many world’s most succesful fourth-generation fighters and may carry six air-to-air missiles – the identical because the F-35.
It’s also in a position to fireplace the Meteor air-to-air missile, which is quicker and has extra vary than the AIM-120 used on many American plane.
Sweden additionally has a extremely regarded Particular Operations Group.
Regardless of its comparatively small dimension, Sweden’s navy could be very succesful, with enormous expertise of the Baltic area.
By becoming a member of Nato, Sweden has left behind 200 years of neutrality and non-alignment.
Its membership is massively symbolic and militarily necessary – one other brick within the Western wall in opposition to Vladimir Putin’s territorial ambitions.