Shrinking soldier reserve threatens Sweden’s defence capability

Sweden’s shrinking reserve of trained soldiers is putting its defence capability at risk, SVT reports. The Armed Forces need more reservists, but the number has fallen for several years because soldiers have not received refresher training.

The reserve consists of trained conscripts who can be called up to reinforce the defence where needed. Its size is classified, but a government bill says it is steadily declining. A state inquiry has concluded that the reserve is already too small and needs to grow quickly.

New soldiers are joining the reserve, but more are leaving it because their wartime assignment ends if they have not served or completed refresher training for 10 years. The Armed Forces lack the staff and equipment to provide training at the required pace. In its latest budget submission, it warned that increasing the number of conscripts could make it even harder to hold refresher training.

The government wants to remove the 10-year limit, keeping soldiers in the reserve until the upper age limit of 47, even if they have not completed refresher training. Defence Minister Pål Jonson said the change would strengthen personnel provision. Under the proposal, however, no soldier would be deployed in combat without first completing refresher training.

Johan Österberg, a researcher who has studied military staffing, warned that the proposal could postpone rather than solve the problem. He said the Armed Forces would still need enough personnel to provide refresher training when the time comes.

Refresher training is intended to maintain both soldiers’ skills and their unit’s ability to carry out its tasks. A wartime assignment normally lasts 10 years after a person’s most recent service, and training starts a new 10-year period, up to the year the conscript turns 47.