The following article lists the historical military ranks used by personnel of the Swedish Armed Forces.
Ranks 1901–1925 - Army With the introduction of the conscript system to replace the Swedish allotment system there were initially no changes in the rank structure.
Överbefäl
Officerare Fältmarskalk General Generallöjtnant Generalmajor Överste Överstelöjtnant Major Kapten Löjtnant Underlöjtnant Fänrik (from 1914)
Underbefäl
Underofficerare Fanjunkare Sergeant Manskap Befäl av manskapet Distinktionskorpral(to 1914) Furir(from 1914) Korpral Vicekorpral Menig
Conscripted personnel Conscripts served 8–9 months in the infantry and 12 months in the cavalry and artillery. These personnel carried the rank of (private). Later conscripts could also be trained for and given corporal ranks.
Employed personnel
Employed personnel were divided into two groups, and . consisted of (Officers) who had a (high school degree) and served as cadets for two years at the Karlberg Military Academy before being commissioned.
were divided into two groups, and (enlisted men). The category consisted of the ordinary privates and corporals. The status of the was lowered with the introduction of conscription for several reasons. The old system had consisted of the allotment regiments and enlisted troops. The enlisted troops had a much lower status than the allotment soldiers and the new conscription system copied more features from the enlisted part of the army than the allotment part. Earlier, the were educated in their own national school and the allotment , following French practice, were recruited directly, i.e. they did not have to serve as privates or corporals before they could advance to . In the conscription army this practice was ended and like to enlisted troops pre 1901 the were all recruited from the category.
For the enlisted men the start of the military career was as a private after they had signed a three-year contract. The first year was a training year () after which the most able privates could apply (applications were accepted once a year) for corporal school (). Those who were not admitted to the corporal school continued to serve as privates or lance corporals (), if they had special skills such as farrier. After their three-year service was finished they could enlist for additional periods, but if they had not been promoted before 28 years of age, they had to quit. Usually, soldiers who had failed to be accepted to corporal school after their first term (i.e. been rejected three times) would choose to serve for one or two years more at most, since the pay and conditions of privates were poor. The main reason such individuals did not quit directly after three years was that after five years of service(later shortened to four) the privates were eligible for extra benefits, e.g., priority for employment in post offices, government-owned railways, police, etc.
Those who were accepted to corporal school were promoted to and after one year of training promoted to . Advancement to corporal meant that one had to serve one additional year (i.e., four years if the corporal did not re enlist). Corporals could apply to , a one-year training, after which they were promoted to . and worked as instructors and squad leaders and had a mandatory retirement age of 32. Enlisted personnel did not receive pension after their service, but they were entitled to severance pay upon discharge.
A who had graduated the with high marks could apply for , after which they were promoted to sergeant. After two years as sergeant they were given a (warrant) and were guaranteed employment until retirement, after which they received pension. were responsible for the training of the conscripts and recruits and could also work as platoon leaders or deputy platoon leaders.
Ranks 1901–1925 - Navy Fleet forces Överbefäl Officerare
Amiral Viceamiral Konteramiral Kommendör Kommendörkapten of the 1st/2nd rank Kapten Löjtnant Underlöjtnant Fänrik (from 1914 onward)
Underbefäl
Underofficerare Fanjunkare Sergeant Manskap Befäl av manskapet Distinktionskorpral(to 1914) Furir(from 1914) Korpral Vicekorpral Menig
Naval Infantry and Coastal Defense Artillery Överbefäl Officerare General Generallöjtnant Generalmajor Överste Överstelöjtnant Major Kapten Löjtnant Underlöjtnant Fänrik (from 1914)
Underbefäl Underofficerare (av 1. graden) Styckjunkare Flaggjunkare Flaggmaskinist Flaggrustmästare Stabstrumpetare Underofficerare (av 2. graden) Sergeant Maskinist Rustmästare Torpedmästare Stabstrumpetare
Manskap Befäl av manskapet Distinktionskorpral(to 1914) Furir(from 1914) Korpral Vicekorpral Menig
Ranks 1926–1952- Army and Air Force
Officerare
Fältmarskalk General Generallöjtnant Generalmajor Överste Överstelöjtnant Major Kapten Löjtnant Underlöjtnant (abolished 1937) Fänrik
Underofficerare
Förvaltare(from 1936) Fanjunkare Sergeant
Manskap
Underbefäl Överfurir(from 1942) Furir Korpral Vicekorpral Menig
Employed personnel In a reform 1926 the Underofficer category was split from underbefäl to form their own corps. A centralised education was reintroduced with the Swedish Army Non-Commissioned Officer School (warrant officer school of the Army) replacing the local education of underofficerare which had taken place since the introduction of the conscript army. In addition to military subjects, the school also gave the students a civilian secondary education. The tjänsteställning (seniority) of fanjunkare was raised to that equal of underlöjtnant. When Förvaltare was introduced in 1936 the rank was given a tjänsteställning equal to löjtnant. Thus many of the grievances regarding the lowered status in 1901 were addressed. In 1949 the possibility to work as underbefäl (manskap higher than menig) on similar terms as officers and warrant officers was introduced. That is, not all corporals had to re-enlist regularly and quit while in their 30s but could work until retirement.
Conscripted personnel During World War II, there was a serious shortage of officers because of drastic cuts in the 1920s. It was therefore decided to introduce conscript warrant officers(underofficerare). Later conscript officers were introduced with ranks of fänrik to kapten.
Ranks used 1926–1952 - Navy Fleet forces Överbefäl Officerare
Amiral Viceamiral Konteramiral Kommendör Kommendörkapten of the 1st/2nd rank Kapten Löjtnant Underlöjtnant (abolished in 1937) Fänrik
Underbefäl
Underofficerare Förvaltare(from 1936) Fanjunkare Sergeant Manskap Befäl av manskapet Överfurir(from 1942) Furir Korpral Vicekorpral Sjöman
Naval Infantry and Coastal Defense Artillery Överbefäl Officerare General Generallöjtnant Generalmajor Överste Överstelöjtnant Major Kapten Löjtnant Underlöjtnant (abolished in 1937) Fänrik
Underbefäl
Underofficerare Förvaltare(from 1936) Fanjunkare Sergeant Manskap Befäl av manskapet Överfurir(from 1942) Furir Korpral Vicekorpral Menig
Ranks 1953–1972 - Army and Air Force
Officerare
Fältmarskalk (Abolished 1972) General Generallöjtnant Generalmajor Överste (with higher pay) Överste Överstelöjtnant Major Kapten Löjtnant Fänrik
Underofficerare
Förvaltare Fanjunkare Sergeant
Underbefäl
Rustmästare(from 1957, abolished 1972) Överfurir Furir Korpral Vicekorpral(trainee rank)
Menig
Employed personnel In 1953 the enlistment system was abolished. Instead of starting a military career by enlisting for three years as a private, one was employed as junior NCO in the new underbefäl corps directly after the conscript service with the rank of korpral. (Such an option was not open to all conscripts.) In a reform in 1960 the tjänsteställning of förvaltare was increased to that between kapten and löjtnant, and förvaltare were given the possibility to become company commanders.
Ranks 1953–1972 - Navy Fleet forces Överbefäl Officerare
Amiral Viceamiral Konteramiral Kommendör (with higher pay) Kommendör Kommendörkapten of the 1st/2nd rank Kapten Löjtnant Fänrik
Underbefäl
Underofficerare
Flaggunderofficer Förvaltare Fanjunkare Sergeant
Underbefäl Högbåtsman Rustmästare(from 1957, abolished 1972) Överfurir Furir Korpral Vicekorpral(trainee rank)
Menig Sjöman
Naval Infantry and Coastal Defense Artillery Officerare
General Generallöjtnant Generalmajor Överste (with higher pay) Överste Överstelöjtnant Major Kapten Löjtnant Fänrik
Underofficerare
Förvaltare Fanjunkare Sergeant
Underbefäl
Rustmästare(from 1957, abolished 1972) Överfurir Furir Korpral Vicekorpral(trainee rank)
Menig Menig
Ranks 1972–1983 - Army and Air Force
Regementsofficerare
General Generallöjtnant Generalmajor Överste av 1. graden Överste Överstelöjtnant Major Kapten Löjtnant
Kompaniofficerare
Kapten Löjtnant Fänrik
Plutonsofficerare
Fanjunkare Sergeant
Gruppbefäl
Överfurir Furir Korpral
Menig
Employed personnel In 1972, the three corps were renamed; officers who had studied at the Military Academy were now known as regementsofficerare and started at the rank of löjtnant instead of fänrik. The Swedish Army Non-Commissioned Officer School was renamed Swedish Army Company Officer School and those who were trained there started with a rank of fänrik and were joined with the former underofficerare in the category Kompaniofficerare(Company officers). The former warrant officers were given ranks fänrik to kapten based on their time in service. Kompaniofficerare had the same rank insignia and tjänsteställning as ordinary officers, however they could not advance further in rank. Someone who had been a sergeant for more than 7 years became Kapten but could not be promoted to major. The tjänsteställning of the ranks sergeant and fanjunkare was reduced and the ranks were given to former underbefäl with long time in service in a new category Plutonsofficerare. Junior underbefäl were called gruppbefäl and used the ranks previously used by underbefäl. There was still several separate corps with different educational background, different duties and they did not use the same mess, even though they in some cases shared the same rank.
Ranks 1983-2008 - Army and Air Force
Yrkesofficerare
General
Generallöjtnant
Generalmajor
Brigadgeneral (from 2000)
Överste av 1. graden (no new appointments since 2000)
Överste
Överstelöjtnant
Major
Kapten
Löjtnant
Fänrik
Värnpliktigt befäl
Fanjunkare
Sergeant
Överfurir
Furir
Korpral
Menig
Employed personnel In 1983 the Consolidated Officer System was introduced, in which the different corps were merged to one(Yrkesofficerare) and former plutonsofficerare were also given officer ranks. The separate paths were abolished and all officers had the same education and training and started as fänrik.
Conscripted personnel Conscript NCOs were continued and since all holders of the ranks were conscripts the name was changed to ( = conscription) After 1991 only temporary appointments were made to the ranks and .
History of other ranks These historical enlisted and NCO ranks of Sweden comprise the contracted ordinary ranks in the Swedish Armed Forces and their respective insignia. The length of contract is currently restricted to two years due to the employment protection law (LAS).
Menig Rank for recruits undertaking training. Army Air force Navy No insignia
Menig 1:a klass Menig 1:a klass is a new rank introduced 2009 for soldiers who have spent at least one year in training and service. Bars will increase by one after each year in service, up to a maximum of four bars. Army Air force Navy
Prior to 2009 + Insignias prior 2009 Army Air force Navy Notes Privates in the Army carried the unit type symbol such as infantry, cavalry, signal, engineering, artillery, air-defense, supply, or armored instead of a rank insignia.
Vicekorpral Vicekorpral was introduced in 2009. How to obtain the rank and what it represents have not yet been clearly defined. Army Air force Navy
Prior to 1972