Sweden has been formally welcomed as Nato’s 32nd member, ending two centuries of neutrality for the Scandinavian nation.

Stockholm applied for membership of the alliance three months after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, finally gaining entry after months of political haggling, mainly involving Turkey.

Forces News now looks at what Sweden brings to the Nato table.

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Geography and economy

Sweden’s key geographical position would allow Nato forces to quickly reinforce Norway and Finland.

It also has a highly developed defence industry – a major asset as Nato tries to rearm.

Military size

Sweden’s armed forces are comparatively small, with 14,850 regular personnel, supplemented by 11,450 reservists.

It has conscription – reintroduced in 2018 – but it is small and selective, with only around 4,000 men and women called up.

Army

Sweden’s army has 6,850 soldiers, but it is well equipped. It has 110 Leopard 2 main battle tanks, 319 CV90 infantry fighting vehicles and 26 Archer self-propelled howitzers.

Archer is the Swedish-designed rapid-fire artillery system that the British Army is also buying. It can engage a target, open fire and then drive away in less than 20 seconds.

Navy

Sweden’s navy is regarded as small but very capable – bigger than every other Baltic navy except Germany’s – and tends to operate exclusively in the Baltic Sea and along the country’s west coast.

It has 2,350 naval personnel – half are sailors, half are amphibious forces – and its maritime equipment includes four submarines, five corvettes and seven mine warfare ships.

Sweden’s Gotland-class submarines have a unique engine that uses the power generated by expanding and contracting gases to drive the sub’s systems.

It makes them particularly quiet and means they do not have to surface for weeks.

Air Force

Sweden will also bring its impressive air force to the alliance, which includes 2,700 air force personnel and six squadrons of Gripen multi-role fighter jets, produced by Swedish manufacturer Saab.

Sweden’s air force operates 96 Gripens, including a few of the newer E model with upgraded avionics and sensor systems. It will eventually receive 60 of this newer aircraft.

The Gripen is considered one of the world’s most capable fourth-generation fighters and can carry six air-to-air missiles – the same as the F-35.

It is also able to fire the Meteor air-to-air missile, which is faster and has more range than the AIM-120 used on many American aircraft.

Sweden also has a highly regarded Special Operations Group.

Despite its relatively small size, Sweden’s military is very capable, with huge experience of the Baltic region.

By joining Nato, Sweden has left behind 200 years of neutrality and non-alignment.

Its membership is hugely symbolic and militarily important – another brick in the Western wall against Vladimir Putin’s territorial ambitions.

Military drivers have been hitting some BASS notes as they learn to operate the BV 206, a tracked, articulated utility vehicle, in the Arctic region of Norway.

BASS – Brake, Acceleration, Speed and Steering – are the fundamentals they need to learn when taking on the snow and ice in an all-terrain amphibious vehicle like this.

“Watch you don’t do too much of any of those things and you should be good,” Corporal Andy Flanagan, an instructor and logistics driver from the RAF’s Tactical Wing, told Forces News.

His role is to provide driver training for all ranks from all three services – teaching them how to handle the snow and ice, as well as operate the BV 206 tracked all-terrain amphibious vehicle in winter conditions.

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Cpl  Flanagan explained how one particular challenge that comes with driving the BV 206 in an Artic setting is the fact that it has tracks rather than wheels.

“It makes a huge difference in how to handle it, the tracks make it much easier for the centrifuge force to throw the vehicle sideways,” he said.

“If you’re in a turn, if the vehicle wants to go sideways then it will do a lot easier, there’s a lot more to think about when operating a BV.”

Making full use of the Armed Forces’ safe training space in Norway, Cpl Flanagan said it was crucial to push the principles of BASS.

“They can feel what it feels like to get themselves in a situation they don’t want to be in, and also what to do if they do get in that situation,” he said of the trainee drivers.

“It means they are less likely to flap if they do get themselves in a situation.”

The Course

Run by Commando Helicopter Force on behalf of Joint Helicopter Command, the driver trainees  go through a five-day snow, ice and BV course.

Cpl Flanagan that they are fairly full days, but the trainees generally enjoy the opportunity.

He added: “We also go out on training area and do off-roading as well… and out and about on public roads and see a bit more of Norway.”

They also learn how to tackle ice crossing, and the driver course is available for support vehicles and Land Rovers as well.

Modern mine warfare is changing, and trials are under way in Bahrain with autonomous systems to adapt how minehunting is done.

RFA Stirling Castle, known as ‘the minehunting mother ship,’ will host several of these systems, operated by the Royal Navy.

This advancement allows for broader coverage of sea areas while minimising risks to personnel.

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Why does the UK clear mines in the Gulf?

The Gulf region is home to one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world – the Strait of Hormuz – and keeping it mine-free is essential to ensure the flow of oil and trade.

Since 2006, the UK has strategically positioned itself in the Gulf to address the menace of mines, which serve as a fast and inexpensive means for nations to control vast maritime areas, disrupt vital shipping lanes, or inflict damage on maritime vessels.

What is Operation Kipion?

The UK Mine Countermeasures Force comes under the umbrella of Operation Kipion, the UK’s commitment to promoting peace and stability around the Gulf.

It typically involves three minehunters based permanently in the region and, as well as looking for mines, the ensure the safe flow of oil, gas and trade.

The minehunters are led by the commander of the UK Mine Countermeasures Force, who is based on a Royal Fleet Auxiliary landing ship dock.

The force also has an escort ship with Royal Marines from 42 Commando on board, maritime security specialists with board and search expertise, all of which are supported by the UK Naval Support Facility in Bahrain.

How are mines neutralised?

The minehunter ships hunt for mines, using sonar to detect objects on the seabed and then use a remotely operated system called Sea Fox to dispose of them.

When a mine is detected, there are two options to deal with it.

It can either be targeted by a remotely operated vehicle with an explosive charge that would cause a controlled explosion.

Or if the visibility is poor, the task falls on to a team of specialist EOD (Explosives Ordnance Disposal) divers.

“Minehunters are some of the smallest vessels within the Royal Navy,” Commanding Officer of HMS Bangor Lieutenant Commander Andrew Platt said.

“My ship’s company is just 40 people. In that, I’ve got engineers, mine warfare experts, chefs, divers. And that team really comes together in order to deliver our equipment and operations,” he added.

How do autonomous mine-hunting systems work?

Harrier is an Uncrewed Minesweeper System. At 11 metres long it is designed to detect underwater threats in the challenging weather conditions found in the Gulf.

The three coil boats attached to it are designed to trick a mine into thinking there’s a ship on the surface.

The mine then detonates – it’s a quicker way of neutralising a minefield.

The heat and dust make the Gulf region one of the more difficult environments to operate in.

However, Richard Hurman, Commander of the UK Mine Countermeasures Force believes that if the Royal Navy can operate in the Gulf, they can operate anywhere.

“As we know all too well at the moment, mines are being used in the Black Sea and nations are utilising them in order to close off sea areas and deny the enemy,” Cdr Hurman said.

“We have that ability to be able to sustain operations, to clear channels as quickly as possible in order to keep the movement of commercial and military shipping through any particular region as quickly as possible.

“With heat, dust and environmentals, it makes it a difficult environment to operate in, so if we can operate here, we can operate pretty much anywhere else in the world,” he added.