Swedish Military Face Major Cash Shortfall

Feb. 26, 2013 defense-aerospace.com

(Source: Radio Sweden; published Feb. 25, 2013)

Military Needs SEK 40 Billion More Over A Decade

Sweden's military needs an additional SEK 40 billion over the next decade, to meet Parliament's requirements for the Armed Forces, reports the newspaper Svenska Dagbladet.

Sources say that without the extra money, the military will have to cut its forces by 9,000.

The military delivers its economic report to the Defense Minister Karin Enström this week.

While the numbers can still be revised, several sources tell Svenska Dagbladet that the report concludes the government either needs to give the military more money or drastically reduce expectations for what the Armed Forces can accomplish starting in 2015.

The military's annual budget is around SEK 42 billion. Both this year and next, that budget is expected to be in balance.

However, the report says the armed forces' economic problems will begin in 2015, when the current military mandate period ends and the new organization is fully implemented.