Sweden was formally a non-belligerent nation throughout World War II, but saw considerable military build-up as the level of threat from the Soviet Union, United Kingdom or Nazi Germany increased. Between 10,000 and 20,000 Swedes fought as volunteers abroad, a majority of them in service of Finland during the Winter War.
Army
Small arms
In the early stages of the war, Sweden relied on a numerous army through conscription and the use of a Total Defence policy. In 1945, the Swedish army had been modernized from the use of World War I weapons to semi-automatic rifles and high-tech firearms such as the Carl Gustav. The infantry had also been equipped with a great deal of rocket launchers for anti-tank warfare, and the availability of artillery had increased drastically with the World War II build-up.
NameOriginTypeVersionsQuantityIn serviceNotes Pistol m/07 Semi-automatic pistolPistol m/07 Unknown 1907-1980's License-built FN Browning 1903. Pistol m/39 Semi-automatic pistolPistol m/39 Unknown 1939-???? - Pistol m/40 Semi-automatic pistol Pistol m/40Pistol m/40B 100,000 1940-1990s License-built Lahti L-35, manufactured by Husqvarna Kulsprutepistol m/37 Submachine gun m/37m/37-39m/37-39F 35,000 1939-1980s - Kpist m/39 Submachine gun Kpist m/39 Unknown 1940s-???? - Kpist m/40 Submachine gun Kpist m/40 500 1940-1951 M1921 Thompson submachine gun. Kpist m/45 Submachine gun m/45 300,000 1945–2007 - Gevär m/96 Bolt-action rifle Karbin m/94Gevär m/96Gevär m/38Gevär m/41Gevär m/41B 127,000535,00088,0005,3005,300 1895-1980s - Gevär m/39 Bolt-action rifle m/39m/405,0001939-1970s Modified German K98K's. Automatgevär m/42 Self-loading rifle Ag m/42 30,0001942-1960s - Kulsprutegevär m/21, m/21-37, m/37 Automatic rifle m/21m/37 Unknown1921–1980 Modified M1918 Browning produced under license. Kg m/39 Automatic rifle Kg m/39Unknown1939-???? - Kg m/40 Automatic rifle Kg m/40 5,0001940-???? - Ksp m/14 Medium machine gun Ksp m/14m/14-29 Unknown1910s-1940s Standard mount.Ksp m/36 mount. Ksp m/36 Medium machine gun Ksp m/36Unknown1910s-???? Upgraded M1917 Browning produced under license. Ksp m/42Medium machine gun Ksp m/421942–present License-built, modified M1919. Pvkan m/39 Anti-tank rifle Pvkan m/391939–???? - Pvg m/42 Recoilless anti-tank rifle Pvg m/421942–???? - Raketgevär 46 Recoilless anti-tank weapon Raketgevär 46Unknown1940s-1960s License-built M1 Bazooka
Armoured fighting vehicles
At the beginning of World War II, Sweden had a very low number of motorized vehicles, instead relying horses for transportation. When the war broke out in 1939, Sweden had one armoured division consisting of merely 13 light tanks, only 3 of which were considered to be modern (the remaining 10 had been in service since the 1920s). In 1945, the number of tanks serving the Swedish army had increased from 13 to more than 800.
Number of tanks pre-war: 14
Number of tanks in 1939: 29
Number of tanks in 1940: 38
Number of tanks in 1941: 135
Number of tanks in 1942: 373
Number of tanks in 1943: 544
Number of tanks in 1944: 795
Number of tanks in 1945: 795+
NameOriginTypeVersionsQuantityIn serviceNotes Pbil m/39 Armoured carPbil m/39Pbil m/40 1530 1939-19561939-1960s Version with Scania-Vabis engineVersion with Volvo engine. Pbil m/41 Armoured car Pbil m/4151933–1980 More than 50 produced, most of them sold to other countries before and during the war. Landsverk L-120 Light tank L-120 1 1937–1940 Prototype in active service but never mass-produced. Strv m/21-29 Light tank m/21m/21-29 105 former m/211922-1939Standard versionUpgraded with new engine and electrical starter. Strv m/31 Light tank Strv m/31 31935–1940Dug in as static bunkers for the Skåne Line Strv m/37 Light tank Strv m/37 48 1938–1953 License-built version of the AH-IV with Scania-Vabis engines. L-60 Light tank Strv m/38Strv m/39Strv m/40LStrv m/40K1620100801938-19571940-19571941-19571943-1960Landsverk L-60 In Swedish service. Strv m/41 Light tank Strv m/41S1Strv m/41S21161041942-1950sLicense-built, upgraded version of the LT. vz. 38. Strv m/42 Medium tank Strv m/42 TMStrv m/42 THStrv m/42 EHStrv m/42 TV100125+30 former TM5770 former TM1943-????1943-19601944-19601944-19602 Scania-Vabis engines and electromagnetic gearboxes.2 Scania-Vabis engines and hydraulic gearboxes.1 Volve engine and a hydraulic gearbox.2 Scania-Vabis engines and a mechanical gearbox. Sav m/43 Self-propelled artillerySav m/43181944–1973 - Tgbil m/42 Armoured personnel carrier Tgbil m/42 SKPTgbil m/42 VKP 262100 1944–2004 Manufactured by Scania-VabisManufactured by Volvo
Artillery
Sweden's artillery corps was made to specialize in mobility and warfare in the Swedish homeland terrain, which mostly consisted of thick forests and small, remote towns. Anti-aircraft warfare was considered important even before the war began, due to Sweden's small aircraft capacity in the 1930s. The Bofors 40 mm, a Swedish auto cannon, was exported to most warring countries in thousands of examples, making it the most common anti-aircraft weapon of the war.
NameOriginTypeVersionsQuantityIn serviceNotes Pvkan m/38 Light anti-tank gunm/34m/38m/38FUnknown1935-???? 37mm Bofors AT gun. Lvakan m/40 Anti-aircraft autocannonm/402,5921940-???? 20mm Bofors AA gun. Lvakan m/36 Anti-aircraft autocannonm/36m/36Am/36Hm/36Pm/38m/399241934–present 40mm Bofors L/60 AA gun. Bofors 75 mm Model 1929 Anti-aircraft gun7.5 cm m/308 cm m/29350Militärhistoria issue 10, 20151930–present Another 8 bought by Finland, 36 by the Netherlands and dozens by Hungary Bofors 75 mm Model 1934 Mountain gunBofors 75 mm74 1934-???? - 10.5 cm kanon modell 1927 Heavy field gunModel 19274 in the coastal artillery, many more in the army1927–1945 - Kanon m/34 Heavy field gunm/34681942-???? - Bofors 12 cm m/14 Towed howitzerm/14Unknown????-???? - Haubits m/40 Towed howitzerm/40400 total1940-???? - In addition to these weapons, Sweden also possessed 9 unspecified heavy anti-aircraft guns with a caliber of 105 mm.
Navy The Swedish government saw a strong naval defense against a possible Soviet invasion as a high priority during World War II, and like with the rest of Sweden's military the Royal Navy lived through an enormous enhancement, ending up as the second-strongest naval power of the Baltic Sea after the Soviet Union.
Coastal defence ships
ClassOriginTypeNamesQuantityIn serviceNotes Sverige class Coastal defence ship31915-1957 Oscar II class Coastal defence ship11905-1950 Äran class Coastal defence ship31901-1950
Cruisers
ClassOriginTypeNamesQuantityIn serviceNotes Gotland class Seaplane cruiser11933-1963 The Swedish response to an aircraft carrier, able to carry 8 Hawker Osprey Tre Kronor class Cruiser21944-1984The Göta Lejon was launched on 17 November 1945, 94 days after the surrender of Japan and the end of World War II Fylgia class Armoured cruiser11905-1957The HSwMS Fylgia is the smallest armoured cruiser ever to be launched Clas Fleming class Mine cruiser11912-1960 Örnen classTorpedo cruiserHSwMS Örnen11897-1947Used as a cadet ship from 1926
Destroyers Number of destroyers pre-war: 13
Number of destroyers in 1939: 14
Number of destroyers in 1940: 19
Number of destroyers in 1941: 20
Number of destroyers in 1942: 23
Number of destroyers in 1943: 27
Number of destroyers in 1944: 28
Number of destroyers in 1945: 28 ClassOriginTypeNamesQuantityIn serviceNotes Göteborg class DestroyerHSwMS GöteborgHSwMS StockholmHSwMS MalmöHSwMS KarlskronaHSwMS NorrköpingHSwMS Gävle61935-19621936-19651938-19701939-19791940-19651941-1968 After World War II, all ships were rebuilt as frigates Romulus class ItalyDestroyer/torpedo boatHSwMS Romulus21940-1958Originally torpedo boats, rebuilt as destroyers for patrolling the Baltic Sea Psilander class ItalyDestroyer21940-1947- Vidar class DestroyerHSwMS WaleHSwMS RagnarHSwMS SigurdHSwMS VidarHSwMS Wale41909-19471909-19471910-19471908-1940- Wrangel class DestroyerHSwMS WachtmeisterHSwMS Wrangel21917-1947- Ehrensköld class Destroyer21926-1963- Klas class DestroyerHSwMS Klas HornHSwMS Klas Uggla21932-19581932-1942- Mode class Destroyer41942-19661942-19661942-19701943-1968- Visby class DestroyerHSwMS HälsingborgHSwMS KalmarHSwMS SundsvallHSwMS Visby41943-19781944-19781943-19821943-1982-
Submarine chasers ClassOriginTypeNamesQuantityIn serviceNotes Jägaren class Submarine chaserHSwMS JägarenHSwMS KaparenHSwMS SnapphanenHSwMS Väktaren41932-19591933-19591934-1959 1934-1959 The ship type was called ”vedettbåt” in Swedish used in anti-submarine warfare and for mine clearance. Equipped with two 75 mm guns, anti-aircraft guns and depth charges.
Patrol boats ClassOriginTypeNotes A classPatrol boat The ship type was called ”vedettbåt” in Swedish. 40 boats where built for the coastal artillery. The boats where equipped with one 37 mm M/89 canon and had a crew of six men.
Mine warfare ships ClassOriginTypeNamesQuantityIn serviceNotes Älvsnabben class Mine layer11943-1982
Auxiliary ships ClassOriginTypeNamesQuantityIn serviceNotes HSwMS Patricia Submarine tender11940-1971 Passenger ship purchased by the Swedish navy and converted to a submarine tender. Transported Swedish crew members for sailing the four Italian destroyers purchased by the Swedish navy home to Sweden. Seaplane tender11900-1947 An improved Oden-class coastal defence ship and sole member of her class. Converted to a depot ship/seaplane tender in 1927 HSwMS Jacob BaggeTraining ship11898-1947 Originally an Örnen-class torpedo cruiser. Converted to a seaplane tender (1927-1935) then to a training ship from 1941 and onwards. Hjkr 3 Drottning VictoriaSupport cruiserHjkr 3 Drottning Victoria11939-1945 Passenger liner called in to service by the Royal Swedish Navy. Converted to a minelaying cruiser as there was a shortage of minelayers in 1939 because minelayer HSwMS Clas Fleming was undergoing modernization. Hjkr 4 WariaSupport cruiserHjkr 4 Waria11939-1945 Civilian cargo ship called in to service by the Royal Swedish Navy. Waria was called in to service due to the Soviet Union's attack on Finland. Rebuilt at Finnboda shipyard and completed on April 5, 1940 to suit her new role. She was used mainly as an escort ship. She was returned to Sveabolaget for civil duties in 1945. Hjkr 5 WarunSupport cruiserHjkr 5 Warun11939-1945 Civilian cargo ship called in to service by the Royal Swedish Navy. Warun was called into service because of the outbreak of the Finnish Winter War on November 30. In 1939 she was rebuilt at Finnboda Shipyard to suit her new role in the navy. The ship was mainly used in escort duties. She was returned to Sveabolaget for civil duties in 1945. Hjkr 10 FidraSupport cruiserHjkr 10 Fidra11939-1945 Civilian cargo ship called in to service by the Royal Swedish Navy. Fidra was rebuilt at Götaverken shipyards in Gothenburg to suit her new role and was completed on April 2, 1940. She replaced the auxiliary cruiser Drottning Viktoria (Hjkr 3) as a minelayer. She was returned to Sveabolaget in for civil duties 1945. Hjkr 14 WirosSupport cruiserHjkr 14 Wiros11939-1945 Civilian cargo ship called in to service by the Royal Swedish Navy. Wiros was called in as an auxiliary cannon boat due to the outbreak of World War II in September 1939 and was rebuilt at Gävle shipyard. During the rebuilding she was classified as an auxiliary cruiser and was mainly used for escort duties. She was returned to Sveabolaget for civil duties in 1945.
Air force Sweden's air force at the beginning of World War II was relatively small and lacked modern radar systems, engines, or weaponry. This changed during the build-up in the 1940s, though, eventually providing Sweden with an aircraft storage that was both numerous and of high quality, in preparation for the Cold War.
Fighter aircraft
Just as the rest of the Swedish Armed Forces, the number of fighter aircraft increased drastically from 98 before the war to almost 600 in 1945. 239 additional aircraft were manufactured immediately after the war.
Number of fighters pre-war: 98